UC-NRLF 


.ER3CAN 
NEW  YORK 


CINCINNATI 


u. 


/  Life 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA. 

GIFT  OF" 


Received 
Accession  No.  2)  /  7  0  I    •    Class  No. 


HOME 
GEOGKAPHT 


FOE   PRIMARY   GRADES 


BY 


0.  C.  LONG,  PH.D. 


AUTHOR  OP  NEW  LANGUAGE  LESSONS,   LESSONS  IN  ENGLISH,  ETC. 


AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  CINCINNATI  CHICAGO 


COFYKIGHTi  1894,  BT 

AMERICAN  BOOK  COMPANY 

E-P  12 


TO  THE   TEACHER. 

GEOGRAPHY  may  be  divided  into  the  geography  of  the 
home  and  the  geography  of  the  world  at  large.  A 
knowledge  of  the  home  must  be  obtained  by  direct 
observation ;  of  the  rest  of  the  world,  through  the  imagi- 
nation assisted  by  information.  Ideas  acquired  by  direct 
observation  form  a  basis  for  imagining  those  things  which 
are  distant  and  unknown. 

The  first  work,  then,  in  geographical  instruction,  is  to 
study  that  small  part  of  the  earth's  surface  lying  just  at 
our  doors.  All  around  are  illustrations  of  lake  and  river, 
upland  and  lowland,  slope  and  valley.  These  forms  must 
be  actually  observed  by  the  pupil,  mental  pictures  ob- 
tained, in  order  that  he  may  be  enabled  to  build  up  in  his 
mind  other  mental  pictures  of  similar  unseen  forms.  The 
hill  ,that  he  climbs  each  day  may,  by  an  appeal  to  his 
imagination,  represent  to  him  the  lofty  Andes  or  the 
Alps.  From  the  meadow,  or  the  bit  of  level  land  near 
the  door,  may  be  developed  a  notion  of  plain  and  prairie. 
The  little  stream  that  flows  past  the  schoclhouse  door,  or 
even  one  formed  by  the  sudden  shower,  may  speak  to  him 
of  the  Mississippi,  the  Amazon,  or  the  Rhine.  Similarly, 
the  idea  of  sea  or  ocean  may  be  deduced  from  that  of 
pond  or  lake.  Thus,  after  the  pupil  has  acquired  elemen- 

3 


4  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

tary  ideas  by  actual  perception,  the  imagination  can  use 
them  in  constructing,  on  a  larger  scale,  mental  pictures  of 
similar  objects  outside  the  bounds  of  his  own  experience 
and  observation. 

To  effect  this,  the  teacher  should  visit  with  her  class 
places  where  the  simpler  geographical  features  in  minia- 
ture may  be  observed.  If  the  school  is  in  the  city,  pupils 
may  be  taken  to  the  parks  for  this  purpose.  If  out-of- 
door  study  be  impossible,  they  may  be  induced  to  recall 
objects  which  they  have  seen  on  their  way  to  school  or 
on  short  excursions  in  the  neighborhood.  In  the  case  of 
children  who  have  little  opportunity  for  observing  nature, 
a  drawing,  a  photograph,  or  a  model  will  be  helpful  in 
giving  them  a  proper  idea  of  the  matter.  It  must  not  be 
forgotten,  however,  that  actual  observation  by  the  pupil 
is  necessary  to  seeing  clearly  and  intelligently. 

Vegetable  and  animal  life  are  essential  features  of  the 
ffeo^raphy  of  the  world,  and  considerable  time  should  be 

O  Oil/ 

given  to  the  study  of  those  within  the  observation  of  the 
pupils.  Information  concerning  plants  may  be  gained 
by  o'utdoor  study ;  also  by  planting  seeds  in  boxes  and 
having  pupils  carefully  watch  their  germination  and 
growth. 

Pupils  should  be  encouraged  to  make  collections  of  the 
minerals  and  rocks  of  their  region.  These  should  be 
classified  and  arranged  for  use,  not  for  show. 

The  lessons  about  rain,  snow,  dew,  etc.,  should  be  given 
at  appropriate  times.  A  wet  day  will  suggest  a  lesson 
on  rain,  a  snowy  day  a  lesson  about  snow.  No  attempt 


TO  THE  TEACHER.  5 

should  be  made  at  "science"  teaching,  so-called.  All 
that  should  be  sought  is  to  get  the  pupil  thoughtfully  to 
observe,  and  thus  to  awaken  his  interest  in  the  world 
about  him. 

Lessons  should  be  conversational  in  form,  which  is 
always  a  most  pleasing  style  for  children,  as  it  is  the  most 
natural.  The  work  of  the  teacher  is  to  awaken  and  stimu- 
late interest,  not  to  impart  information.  The  attention  of 
the  child  should  be  directed  to  what  lies  around  him.  He 
must  observe,  and  think,  and  express  his  thoughts.  Nor 
should  his  observations  be  confined  to  the  school  and 
school  hours.  He  should  be  encouraged  to  obtain  his 
information  by  his  own  searching,  without  guidance,  and 
report  the  results. 

The  development  of  clear  mental  pictures  is  stimulated 
by  expression.  "Expression  is  the  test  of  the  pupil's 
knowledge."  Hence,  the  child  should  be  required  to 
reproduce  what  he  has  learned.  He  may  do  this  by 
modeling,  drawing,  and  oral  and  written  description. 
These  are  placed  in  the  order  which  should  be  followed 
in  the  training  of  children. 

The  inclination  of  nearly  every  child  left  to  his  own 
mode  of  development  is  to  make,  in  some  plastic  material, 
what  he  has  seen.  Trying  to  fashion  the  hills  and  valleys 
with  which  he  is  familiar  excites  his  interest,  and  leads  to 
closer  observation.  This  may  be  followed  by  the  repro- 
duction in  molder's  sand,  or  in  clay,  of  the  forms  seen  in 
pictures  or  learned  from  description.  Definitions  of  the 
various  forms,  hill,  mountain,  valley,  island,  etc.,  should 


6  HOME   GEOGRAPHY. 

be  developed  as  they  are  molded.  The  memorizing  of 
definitions  should  seldom  be  required,  and  should  never 
be  made  a  test  of  the  pupil's  knowledge. 

Reproduction  by  the  hand  should  be  followed  by  draw- 
ing, whenever  this  can  be  done.  Drawing  teaches  the 
child  how  to  see  well.  It  often  enables  him  to  reveal 
what  could  not  well  be  expressed  in  words.  He  also 
becomes  ready  and  rapid  in  the  use  of  the  pencil  when 
he  has  ideas  to  put  on  paper.  Only  reasonable  accuracy 
should  be  required.  Practice  in  making  fine  pictures 
should  not  be  the  end  sought,  but  the  development  of 
geographical  ideas. 

Finally,  pupils  should  be  led  to  give  clear  and  con- 
nected statements  of  what  has  been  learned.  For  a 
language  lesson,  a  written  description  may  be  prepared, 
illustrated  by  a  drawing. 


CONTENTS. 


LESSON  PAGE 

I.— POSITION 9 

II. — How  THE  SUN  SHOWS  DIRECTION,  ...  10 
III.— How  THE  STARS  SHOW  DIRECTION,  .  .  .14 
IV.— How  THE  COMPASS  SHOWS  DIRECTION,  .  .  15 

V.— QUESTIONS  ON  DIRECTION, 17 

VI. — WHAT  THE  WINDS  BRING  (POEM),      ...       20 

VII.— How  TO  TELL  DISTANCE, 21 

VIII.— PICTURES  AND  PLANS, 23 

IX.— WRITTEN  EXERCISE,         .       .       .       .       .       .27 

X.— GOD  MADE  THEM   ALL    (POEM),       ....  29 

XI.— PLAINS, 31 

XII. — HILLS,  MOUNTAINS,  VALLEYS,     ....  35 

XIII.— RAIN,  WIND,  AND  SNOW,         .        .        .               .  40 

XIV.— How  WATER  is  CHANGED  TO  VAPOR,        .       .  42 

XV.— How  VAPOR  is  CHANGED  TO  WATER,     .        .       .44 

XVI.— DEW,  CLOUDS,  AND  RAIN, 46 

XVII.— THE  FAIRY  ARTIST  (POEM), 49 

XVIII.— How  RIVERS  ARE  MADE, 50 

XIX.— MORE  ABOUT  RIVERS, 54 

XX.— THE  BROOK  (POEM), 58 

XXI.— WORK  OF  FLOWING  RIVERS 59 

XXIL— WATERDROP'S  STORY, 62 

XXIII.— THE  RIVER  (POEM), 69 

XXIV.— A  MAP, 71 

XXV.— FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER,    .   .   .   .73 

XXVI.— MORE  ABOUT  FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER,   .  76 

1 


8  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

LESSON  PAGE 

XXVII.— A  TRIP  TO  THE  HIGHLANDS,      .        .       .        .80 

XXVIII.— SPRING  (POEM), 86 

XXIX. — USEFUL  VEGETABLES, 87 

XXX.— USEFUL  GRAINS, 88 

XXXI.— FRUITS, 93 

XXXII.— USEFUL  PLANTS, 95 

XXXIII.— FOREST  TREES, 99 

XXXIV.— FLOWERS, 103 

XXXV.— WHAT  is  NECESSARY  TO  MAKE  PLANTS  GROW    .  105 

XXXVI.— SUMMER  EAIN  (POEM), 107 

XXXVII.— THE  PARTS  OF  ANIMALS, 108 

XXXVIII.— THE  COVERING  OF  ANIMALS,  .        .        .        .110 

XXXIX.— USES  OF  ANIMALS, Ill 

XL.— THE  SIGNS  OF  THE  SEASONS  (POEM),     .        .      115 
XLL— THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH,  ....  116 
XLIL—  MORE  ABOUT  THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH,       123 
XLIIL— How    PEOPLE    LIVE,    AND   WHAT    THEY  ARE 

DOING, 127 

XLIV.— MORE  ABOUT  WHAT  PEOPLE  ARE  DOING,  .        .  137 
XLV. — A  EEVIEW  LESSON, 141 


HOME   GEOGRAPHY. 


Lesson  I. 

POSITION. 

Lay  your  hands  upon  your  desk,  side  by 
side. 

Which  side  shall  we  call  the  right  side? 
The  left  side? 

Put  your  hands  on  the  middle  of  your  desk 


10  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

on  the  side  farthest  from  you.  That  part  is 
the  back  of  your  desk. 

Think  which  is  the  front  of  your  desk. 
Put  your  hands  on  the  front  of  your  desk. 

Who  sits  on  your  right  hand?  On  your 
left  ?  At  the  desk  in  front  of  you  ?  At  the 
desk  behind  you? 

Turn  round.  Who  is  on  your  right  now  ? 
On  your  left?  Before  you?  Behind  you? 

Turn  again.  Who  is  now  on  your  right? 
On  your  left?  Before  you?  Behind  you? 

NOTE. — Lead  children  to  see  that  the  terms  right,  left,  front, 
and  back  are  of  little  use  in  telling  the  position  of  places,  and 
that  some  fixed  standard  of  direction  is  necessary. 

Lesson  H. 

HOW  THE  SUN  SHOWS  DIRECTION. 

If  I  should  ask,  "  Which  is  the  way  to 
your  home?"  who  could  tell  me  what  I 
mean? 

You  all  know  which  way  you  must  go 
to  find  your  home,  but  if  you  should  wish  to 
go  to  a  place  where  you  have  never  been, 


HOW  THE  SUN  SHOWS  DIRECTION. 


11 


you    would    ask,   perhaps,    "Which   way   is 
it?" 

The  way  to  a  place  is  called  direction.     In 
order  to  find  a  place,  we  must  know  in  what 


"THE  WAY  TO   A  PLACE  18  CALLED  DIRECTION." 

direction  from  us  it  lies,  and  we  have  names 
for  directions,  such  as  north,  south,  east,  and 
west.  We  may  know  these  directions  by 
seeing  where  the  sun  is. 

Did  you  ever  see  the  sun  rise?  Point  to 
the  place  where  you  saw  the  sun  rise.  The 
direction  in  which  the  sun  seems  to  rise  is 
called  the  east. 

Did  you  ever  see  the  sun   set?     Point  to 


12  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

where  you  saw  the  sun  set.  The  direction 
in  which  the  sun  seems  to  set  is  called  the 
west.  The  west  is  just  the  opposite  direction 
from  east. 

When  do  we  see  the  sun  rise  ?  Where  do 
we  see  the  sun  rise  ?  What  is  the  name  of 
this  direction?  When  do  we  see  the  sun 
set?  Where  do  we  see  it  set?  What  is  the 
name  of  this  direction  ?  On  which  side  of 
the  schoolroom  does  the  sun  rise  ?  On  which 
side  does  it  set?  Which  is  the  east  side  of 
your  desk  ?  Which  the  west  side  ? 

When  coming  to  school  this  morning,  in 
what  direction  did  you  see  the  sun  ?  If  we 
walk  so  that  the  morning  sun  shines  in  our 
faces,  in  what  direction  are  we  going? 
What  direction  is  behind  us? 

Now  that  you  know  the  east,  you  will  be 
able  to  find  other  directions  in  this  way : 
Stretch  out  your  arms  so  that  your  right 
hand  points  toward  the  east,  and  your  left 
hand  toward  the  west.  You  are  now  facing 
the  north.  The  direction  behind  you  is  the 
south. 


HOW  THE  SUN  SHOWS  DIRECTION.  13 


"  YOU  ARE  NOW  FACING  THE  NORTH." 

Write  the  following  on  your  slates : 

The  sun  seems  to  rise  toward  the  east,  and  set  toward 
the  west.  The  west  is  just  the  opposite  direction  from 
the  east. 

"When  my  right  hand  is  pointing  to  the  east,  and  my 
left  hand  to  the  west,  my  face  is  toward  the  north  and 
my  back  is  toward  the  south. 

ORAL  EXERCISES, 

Which  is  the  north  side  of  the  schoolroom  ?  Which 
is  the  south  side  \  Who  sits  to  the  north  of  you  ?  To 
the  south  ? 

In  what  direction  do  the  pupils  face  ?  On  which  side 
of  your  schoolroom  is  the  teacher's  table  ?  Which  sides 
have  no  windows  ?  Which  sides  have  no  doors  ? 

If  a  room  has  a  fireplace  in  the  middle  of  the  east  side, 
which  side  of  the  room  faces  the  fire  ?  Suppose  the  wind 
is  blowing  from  the  north,  in  what  direction  will  the 
smoke  go  ? 

In  what  direction  from   the  schoolhouse  is  the  play- 


14 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


ground?  What  is  the  first  street  or  road  north  of  the 
school?  The  first  street  or  road  east?  South?  West? 
In  what  direction  is  your  home  from  the  school? 
The  school  from  your  home  ?  The  nearest  church  from 
the  school?  The  post  office  from  your  home? 


Lesson  III. 

HOW  THE  STARS  SHOW  DIRECTION. 

You  have  learned  how  to  tell  north,  south, 
east,  and  west  by  the  sun;  but  how  can  we 
tell  these  directions  at  night  ? 

Ask  some  one  to  point  out  to  you  a  group 
of  seven  bright  stars  in  the  north  part  of  the 

sky.  Some  people 
think  that  this  group 
of  stars  looks  like  a 
wagon  and  three 
horses ;  others  say 
that  it  looks  like  a 
plow. 

The    proper    name 
of    the    group    con- 
taining   these    seven 
The  group  was  given 


THE  GREAT  BEAR. 


stars  is  the  Great  Bear. 


HOW  THE  COMPASS  SHOWS  DIRECTION.  15 

this   name   because    men  at   first   thought  it 
looked  like  a  bear  with  a  long  tail. 

These  seven  stars  are  called  the  Dipper. 
It  is  a  part  of  a  larger  group  called  the 
Great  Bear.  Find  the  two  bright  twinkling 
stars  farthest  from  its  handle.  A  line  drawn 
through  them  will  point  to  another  star,  not 
quite  so  bright,  called  the  North  Star.  That 
star  is  always  in  the  north;  so  by  it,  on  a 
clear  night,  you  can  tell  the  other  directions 
at  once. 

Write  on  yowr  slates: 

Sailors  out  on  the  sea  at  night  often  find  direction 
by  looking  at  the  North  Star. 

Lesson  IV. 

HOW  THE  COMPASS  SHOWS  DIRECTION. 

But  there  are  times  when  it  is  cloudy, 
and  neither  the  sun  nor  the  stars  can  be  seen. 
How  can  we  tell  direction  then? 

Have  you  ever  seen  a  compass?  It  is  a 
box  in  which  is  a  little  needle  swinging  on 
the  top  of  a  pin.  When  this  needle  is 


16 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


A  COMPASS. 


at    rest,    one    end   of  it  points  to   the  north. 

As  the  needle  shows 
where  the  north  is,  it 
is  easy  to  find  the 
south,  the  east,  or  the 
west. 

With  the  compass  as 
a  guide,  the  sailor,  in 
the  darkest  night,  can 
tell  in  what  direction  he  is  going. 

North,  south,  east,  and  west  are  called  the 
chief   points     of     the 
compass. 

Other  directions  are 
northeast,  halfway  be- 
tween north  and  east; 
northwest,  halfway  be- 
tween north  and  west ; 
southeast,  halfway  be- 
tween south  and  east;  and  southwest,  half- 
way between  south  and  west. 

Write  on  your  slates: 

The  chief  points  of  the  compass  are  north,  south,  east, 
and  west. 


WES 


^ST 


POINTS   OF   THE   COMPASS, 


QUESTIONS  ON  DIRECTION.  17 

Other  directions  are  northeast,  southeast,  southwest, 
and  northwest. 

Sailors  find  their  way  over  the  ocean  by  the  help  of 
the  compass. 

Lesson  V. 

QUESTIONS  ON  DIRECTION. 

Your  teacher  will  give  you  time  to  dis- 
cover answers  to  these  questions.  She  could 
tell  you,  but  it  is  better  to  find  them  out  for 
yourself. 

If  I  go  out  of  doors,  how  can  I  find  the 
north?  How  can  I  find  it  on  a  starlight 
night?  How  can  I  find  it  on  pleasant 
d;:vs?  How  on  rainy  days?  How  does  a 
sailor  find  the  north? 

If  you  were  lost  and  knew  your  home  was 
north,  how  would  you  find  it  ?  Do  you  know 
how  hunters  and  Indians  who  live  a  great 
deal  in  the  woods  find  out  where  the  north 
is?  When  you  are  in  the  woods,  notice  the 
amount  of  moss  on  the  north  side  of  trees  as 
compared  to  that  on  the  south  side. 

As  winter  approaches,  many  of  our  birds 


18  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

will  want  to  go  to  a  warmer  country;  in  what 
direction  will  they  fly?  Point  to  where  ice 
and  snow  have  their  home.  What  direction 
is  that? 

In  what  direction  does  your  shadow  fall 
at  sunrise?  At  sunset?  At  noon?  When, 
during  the  day,  is  your  shadow  shortest  ? 


"IN   WHAT  DIRECTION  DOES  YOUR   SHADOW  FALL?" 

In  what  direction  does  your  shadow  extend 
from  yourself  when  it  is  shortest? 


QUESTIONS  ON  DIRECTION. 


19 


What  time  of  day  is  noon  ?  How  can  we 
tell  when  it  is  noon  ?  When  is  the  sun 
highest  in  the  sky  ? 


"WHAT   MAY  WE   DISCOVER   BY  WATCHING   THE   SMOKE?" 

What  may  we  discover  by  watching  the 
direction  of  the  smoke  from  the  chimneys  ? 
What  does  a  vane  on  a  steeple  tell  us? 
What  is  a  north  wind?  A  south  wind?  An 
east  wind  ?  A  west  wind  ? 

What  kind  of  weather  may  be  expected 
from  a  north  wind  ?  From  a  south  wind  ? 
From  an  east  wind?  From  a  west  wind? 


20  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Lesson  VI. 

WHAT  THE  WINDS  BRING. 

Comes  the  north  wind,  snowflakes  bringing 
Robes  the  fields  in  purest  white, 

Paints  grand  houses,  trees,  and  mountains 
On  our  window-panes  at  night. 

Hills  and  vales  the  east  wind  visits, 
Brings  them  chilly,  driving  rain ; 

Shivering  cattle  homeward  hurry, 

Onward  through  the  darkening   lane. 

Heat  the  south  wind  kindly  gives  us; 

Reddens  apples,  gilds  the  pear, 
Gives  the  grape  a  richer  purple, 

Scatters  plenty  everywhere. 

Flowers  sweet  the  west  wind  offers, 
Peeping  forth  from  vines  and  trees ; 

Brings  the  butterflies  so  brilliant, 
And  the  busy,  humming  bees. 


HOW  TO  TELL  DISTANCE.  21 

Each  wind  brings  his  own  best  treasure 
To  our  land  from  year   to  year; 

Blessings  many  without  measure 
E'er  attend  the  winds'  career. 

LILLIAN  Cox. 

"  Whichever  way  the  wind  doth  blow, 
Some  heart  is  glad  to  have  it  so ; 
And  blow  it  east  or  blow  it  west, 
The  wind  that  blows,  that  wind  is  best." 

Write  all  that  you  can  tell  about  the  wind. 

What  was  the  direction  of  the  wind  during  the  last 
snow-storm?  Why  is  the  north  wind  cold?  Why  is 
the  south  wind  warm? 

Lesson  VII. 

HOW  TO  TELL  DISTANCE. 

To  tell  where  a  place  is,  we  must  know  its 
direction.  But  this  is  not  all ;  we  must  also 
know  how  far  it  is  from  us ;  that  is,  its  dis- 
tance. To  find  this  out  we  measure. 

You  have  often  heard  of  an  inch,  a  foot, 
and  a  yard.  This  line  is  one  inch  long 
<  I.  Your  ruler  is  twelve  inches 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


MEASURING   SHORT  DIS- 
TANCES. 


long,  that  is  a  foot.     Three  lengths  of  your 

ruler  make  a  yard.  A 
yard  stick  is  three  feet 
long. 

With  these  measures 
you  can  tell  how  long 
your  slate  or  your  desk 
is,  or  how  long  and  wide 
the  schoolroom  is. 

The    inch,    foot,    and 

yard  are  used  for  measuring  short  distances. 

But    when   we   wish    to 

tell  the  distance  between 

objects  far  apart,  we  use 

another    measure    called 

a  mile.     A  mile  is  much 

longer  than  a  yard. 
Think   of  some  object 

that  is  a  mile  from  our 

schoolhouse.     How  long 

would  it  take  you  to  walk  that  distance? 

ORAL  EXERCISES. 

How  many  inches  long  is  your  slate  ?    How  long  is 
your  desk  ?     How  many  feet  long  is  your  room  ?     How 


MEASURING  LONG   DIS- 
TANCES. 


PICTURES  AND  PLANS.  23 

wide  is  it?  What  is  the  distance  around  the  room? 
How  many  feet  wide  is  each  window?  Each  door? 
How  many  yards  wide  is  the  nearest  street  or  road  ? 

About  what  is  the  height  of  the  schoolroom  ?  Of  the 
schoolhouse  ?  Of  the  tallest  tree  near  by  ?  Of  the  near- 
est  church  spire? 

About  how  long  is  the  longest  street  in  the  town 
where  you  live?  Do  you  know  how  many  blocks  or 
squares  make  a  mile  ?  Name  the  nearest  river  or  creek. 
Give  its  direction  from  the  school.  In  what  direction 
does  the  water  run  ?  Give  the  direction  and  distance  of 
the  nearest  church.  What  must  you  know  to  go  to  any 
place  ? 

NOTE. — Have  pupils  estimate  distances  by  the  eye,  then 
verify  by  actual  measurement.  Continue  the  exercises  until 
the  work  becomes  quite  accurate.  Correct  ideas  of  distance  are 
necessary  in  order  to  understand  how  large  the  world  is,  and 
bow  far  apart  places  are  on  its  surface. 

Lesson  VIII. 

PICTURES  AND  PLANS. 

You  all  know  what  a  picture  is.  But  do 
you  know  what  a  plan  is? 

A  little  boy  wanted  to  show  his  cousin, 
who  lived  some  miles  away,  the  shape  and 
size  of  his  house,  and  how  the  rooms  were 
arranged.  How  could  he  do  this? 


24  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

On  a  large  sheet  of  white  paper,  he  placed 
lines  of  blocks  in  the  form  of  his  house. 
Then,  with  a  lead  pencil,  he  drew  a  line  on 
the  paper  along  the  sides  of  the  blocks.  He 
next  took  up  the  blocks,  and  there>  on  the 
paper,  was  a  plan  of  his  house. 


"THE   PICTURE   SHOWS   THE   OBJECTS." 

Here  is  a  picture  of  a  schoolroom.  We 
see  desks,  the  teacher's  table,  a  chair,  a  clock, 
globe,  and  two  maps,  in  the  picture.  The 
picture  shows  these  objects  as  they  would 
appear  if  we  stood  at  the  door  behind  the 
teacher's  table  and  looked  in. 


PICTURES  AND  PLANS.  25 

This  is  a  plan  of  the  schoolroom,  a  picture 
of  which  is  shown  on  page  24.  You  see,  the 
plan  and  picture  are  quite  different. 


"THE   PLAN    SHOWS   WHERE  THE   OBJECTS   ARE." 

The  picture  shows  the  objects  as  we  see 
them  before  us.  The  plan  shows  where  the 
objects  are,  and  their  direction  from  one 
another. 

Now  let  us  see  if  we  can  make  a  plan  of 
the  same  schoolroom  on  the  blackboard. 

The  first  thing  is  to  measure  the  sides  of 
the  room.  We  will  suppose  the  two  long 
sides  are  each  forty  feet  long,  and  the  two 


26  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

short  sides  each  thirty  feet  long.  Now  we 
will  draw  four  straight  lines  on  the  board  for 
the  four  sides.  Of  course,  the  lines  must  be 
much  shorter  than  the  sides  themselves,  else 
our  plan  will  be  too  large. 

Make  one  inch  in  the  plan  stand  for  one 
foot  in  the  room.  So  the  lines  for  the  long 
sides  will  each  be  forty  inches  long,  and  the 
lines  for  the  short  sides  thirty  inches  long. 

The  next  thing  is  to  make  spaces  in  the 
sides  for  the  door  and  the  windows,  and 
oblongs  for  the  desks.  But  we  must  remem- 
ber that  an  inch  in  our  plan  stands  for  a 
foot  in  the  object  itself,  and  therefore  we 
must  allow  as  many  inches  for  the  width  of 
doors  and  windows,  and  for  the  length  and 
width  of  the  desks,  as  there  are  feet  in  the 
objects  themselves.  Thus,  if  the  door  is 
three  feet  wide,  we  must  make  it  three 
inches  wide  in  our  plan. 

And  lastly,  we  will  draw  a  circle  for  the 
globe,  and  an  oblong  and  square  for  the 
teacher's  table  and  chair,  that  shall  show  just 
where  and  just  how  long  these  objects  are. 


WRITTEN  EXERCISE.  27 

We  have  now  a  plan  of  the  schoolroom. 
Let  us  put  N.  to  show  the  north  side  of  the 
room,  S.  to  show  the  south  side,  E.  to  show 
the  east  side,  and  W.  to  show  the  west  side. 
We  can  now  tell  the  direction  of  one  thing 
from  another  in  our  plan. 


Lesson  IX. 


WRITTEN  EXERCISE. 


PICTUBE   OF   SCHOOL  GROUNDS. 


Write  the  answers  to  the  following  questions,  in  fiifl 
sentences : 

What  is   the   name   of  your   school?     On 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


what  street  or  road  is  it  ?  Which  side  of 
the  street  ?  Between  what  streets  ?  In  which 
direction  does  the  building  face? 

How  many  rooms   has  the   building  ?     In 
what   part   of  the   building   is   your   room? 


Jacob  Fund's   Field 


rirn 

i     M     i 


MAIN  STREET 


PLAN   OP   SCHOOL  GROUNDS. 


How  large  is  it?     How  many  doors  and  win- 
dows?    How  many  seats? 

In  what  direction  is  the  school  from  your 
home?  How  far  is  it?  How  long  does  it 
take  you  to  walk  to  school? 

EXERCISES  IN  DRAWING  PLANS. 

Draw  a  plan  of  the  schoolroom  on  your  slates.  It  can- 
not be  drawn  on  your  slates  as  large  as  it  was  drawn 


WRITTEN  EXERCISE.  29 

on  the  board.  So  let  one  inch  stand  for  ten  feet, 
instead  of  for  one  foot ;  that  is,  use  a  scale  of  one  inch 
for  every  ten  feet.  Your'  plan  will  not  be  as  large  as 
mine,  but  it  will  show  the  position  of  everything  as 
correctly. 

Draw  a  plan  of  the  top  of  the  teacher's  table,  showing 
two  books  and  an  inkstand  upon  it.  First,  measure  the 
sides.  Then  decide  to  what  scale  you  will  draw  your 
plan. 

Now  draw  a  plan  of  the  schoolhouse  and  grounds. 
You  must  measure  not  only  the  house,  but  the  width 
and  length  of  the  yard.  The  plan  must  show  the  size, 
shape,  and  place  of  everything  upon  the  grounds. 
(While  drawing  a  plan  of  this  kind,  it  is  better  to  let  the 
pupils  face  the  north.  The  top  of  the  plan  should  be  the 
north  side  of  the  grounds.) 

Draw  a  plan  of  your  own  room  at  home,  showing  the 
table,  bed,  chairs,  and  other  objects  in  it. 

ORAL  EXERCISE. 

If  the  shape  of  a  room  is  shown  on  the  blackboard, 
what  have  we  drawn?  Is  a  plan  the  same  as  a  pict- 
ure? What  is  the  use  of  a  plan?  Mention  some 
things  of  which  plans  can  be  drawn. 

NOTE.— It  is  wrong  to  teach  that  the  top  of  a  map  or  plan 
is  always  north ;  as  often  as  not,  the  bottom  is  north,  in  plans 
especially. 


30 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  X. 

GOD  MADE  THEM  ALL. 


'THE   PURPLE-HEADED   MOUNTAIN,    THE   RIVER   RUNNING   BY. 

All  things  bright  and  beautiful, 
All  creatures  great  and  small, 

All  things  wise  and  wonderful, 
The  good  God  made  them  all. 

Each  little  flower  that  opens, 
Each  little  bird  that  sings, 

He  made  their  glowing  colors, 
He  made  their  tiny  wings. 

The  purple-headed  mountain, 

The  river  running  by, 
The  morning  and  the  sunset, 

The  twinkling  stars  on  high; 


PLAINS.  31 

The  tall  trees  in  the  greenwood, 

The  pleasant  summer  sun, 
The  ripe  fruits  in  the  garden — 

He  made  them  every  one. 

He  gave  us  eyes  to  see  them, 
And  lips  that  we  might  tell 

How  great  is  God  Almighty, 
Who  hath  made  all  things  well. 

Lesson  XI. 

PLAINS. 

The  floor  of  our  schoolroom  is  level.  The 
playground  is  almost,  if  not  quite,  level.  As 
you  look  away  from  the  school,  is  the  land 
nearly  level?  Did  you  ever  see  a  broad 
extent  of  nearly  level  land  ? 

Let  us  imagine  that  we  are  out  on  a  piece 
of  nearly  level  land,  many,  many  times  larger 
than  our  playground.  Such  a  broad,  nearly 
level  stretch  of  land  is  called  a  plain. 

If  this  plain  were  covered  with  rich  green 
grass  and  beautiful  flowers,  we  should  call  it 
a  prairie.  In  the  summer  it  is  a  vast  sea  of 


32 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


waving  grass.  On  the  prairie  we  might  find 
herds  of  wild  horses  and  cattle,  which  feed 
upon  the  rich  grass.  If  it  were  late  in  the 
summer,  when  the  grass  is  dry  and  crisp. 


"SUCH  A  BROAD  LEVEL  STRETCH  OF  LAND  IS  CALLED  A  PLAIN.'* 

it  might  catch  fire,  and  we  might  then  see  a 
grand  sight — a  prairie  on  fire. 

We  now  come  to  another  plain,  miles  and 
miles  long,  miles  and  miles  wide.  No  rain 
falls  here,  and  therefore  we  see  no  grass,  nor 
flowers,  nor  cattle,  nor  horses,  nothing  but 
dry,  burning  sand,  rocks,  or  gravel.  We  are 
in  a  desert.  But  we  are  so  thirsty  and  tired  ! 


PLAINS. 


33 


No  water  to  drink, 
no  shade  from  the 
burning  sun!  Sud- 
denly,  in  the  midst 
of  the  desert,  we 
come  to  a  beautiful 
grassy  spot.  There 


"  THIS   PLEASANT   SPOT   IN   THE   DESERT    IS   CALLED   AN   OASIS." 


is   a    cluster  of  date-palm  trees,  and,  better 
still,  a  well  or  a  spring  of  fresh  water.     This 


34  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

pleasant  spot  in  the  desert  is  called  an  oasis. 
Here  we  may  quench  our  thirst;  and  rest 
beneath  the  shade  of  the  trees. 

An  oasis  is  a  fertile  spot  in  a  desert.  What 
does  fertile  mean  ?  When  do  we  say  land  is 
fertile  ?  When  barren  ?  When  desert  ? 

Find  a  picture  of  a  palm  tree,  and  try  to 
draw  it. 

If  we  were  really  in  a  desert,  we  might  see 
a  company  of  merchants  carrying  goods  to 
sell  in  the  countries  they  visit.  Such  a  com- 
pany is  called  a  caravan.  The  goods  are 
packed  in  bundles;  which  are  carried  on 
camels'  backs.  The  camel  can  live  for  a  long 
time  without  drinking,  and  can  carry  a  heavy 
load  of  merchandise  a  long  distance.  It  is 
sometimes  called  the  ship  of  the  desert. 

Why  do  travelers  use  camels  to  cross  the 
desert?  Why  do  they  not  use  horses?  If 
you  can  not  find  answers  to  these  questions  in 
your  books  at  home,  ask  your  teacher  about 
them. 

You  have  seen  a  small  whirlwind  in  the 
street.  The  leaves  flew  round  and  round, 


HILLS,  MOUNTAINS,  VALLEYS.  35 

the  dust  whirled  along  in  clouds.  Trees  are 
sometimes  torn  from  the  ground,  and  houses 
overturned,  by  a  strong  wind. 

Now  think  of  a  wind-storm  in  the  desert. 
A  loud,  rustling  noise  is  heard.  Great  clouds 
of  fine  sand  are  lifted  into  the  air — clouds 
which  darken  the  sun!  Travelers  must  at 
once  jump  from  their  camels,  cover  them- 
selves with  their  cloaks,  and  lie  flat  on  the 
ground. 

The  poor  beasts  will  close  their  eyes  and 
nostrils,  and  kneel  with  their  backs  to  the 
wind  until  the  storm  has  passed  over. 

Thankful  will  the  travelers  be  if  none  of 
them  are  buried  in  the  sand. 

Lesson  XII. 

HILLS,   MOUNTAINS,   VALLEYS. 

The  land  is  not  always  level  like  a  plain. 
In  some  pLices  it  is  Inirh  ;ind  imrvrn.  We 
all  know  what  a  hill  is.  It  is  land  a  little 
higher  than  the  surrounding  country. 

Is  there  a  hill  near  where  you  live  ?     Let 


36  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

us  walk  to  the  top,  and  stand  on  its  summit. 
We  will  start  from  the  foot  or  base  of  the  hill. 
Now  we  have  climbed  its  steep,  rough  sides 


"  WHAT   CAN    YOU   SEE   FROM   THE   TOP   OF   THE   HILL  ?  " 

or  slopes.  Was  the  ascent  difficult  ?  Is  the 
view  from  the  top  fine? 

What  can  you  see  from  the  top  of  the  hill 
— meadow,  river,  lake,  town?  What  grow 
on  the  hill  ?  What  live  on  the  hill  ? 

Which  part  of  a  hill  is  called  the  base, 
or  foot  ?  The  slope,  or  sides  ?  The  top,  or 
summit  ? 

Give  two  names  for  the  lowest  part  of  a 
hill.  Two  for  the  highest  part.  Two  for  the 
part  between  the  highest  and  lowest  parts. 

Parts  of  the  land  very  much  higher  than 
the  surrounding  country  are  called  mountains. 
Mountains  are  much  higher  than  hills.  Have 


HILLS,  MOUNTAINS,  VALLEYS.  37 

you  ever  seen  a  steeple  one  hundred  feet 
high  ?  A  mountain  is  as  high  as  twenty  such 
steeples,  one  on  the  top  of  the  other.  How 
high  the  mountains  must  be ! 

Some  mountains  reach  away  above  the 
clouds.  Their  white  tops  seem  to  touch  the 
sky.  A  man  on  the  summit  of  one  saw 
the  clouds  beneath  his  feet,  while  the  sun 
shone  where  he  stood.  When  it  lightened 
he  saw  the  flash  far  below  him. 

Is  it  warm  or  cold  at  the  tops  of  moun- 
tains ?  With  what  are  many  high  mountains 
covered,  even  in  summer? 

The  land  between  mountains  or  hills  is 
called  a  valley.  Is  there  a  valley  near  here  ? 
What  do  you  call  the  ground  on  either  side  ? 

Would  you  like  best  to  live  on  the  moun- 
tains or  in  the  valley?  Why? 

Are  mountains  of  any  use? 

Yes,  hills  and  mountains  are  of  very  great 
use.  They  make  the  earth  more  beautiful. 
Tops  of  high  mountains  are  so  cold  that  they 
turn  the  clouds  into  drops  of  water  which  fall 
as  rain  or  snow.  Then  mountains  give  rise  to 


38 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


rivers  which  make  the  valleys  beautiful  with 
grass  and  flowers.  Mountains  do  much  good 
to  some  countries  by  keeping  off  cold  winds. 


They  also  give  us  coal  and  iron  and  other 
minerals  which  we  find  so  useful. 

Here  is  a  picture.     What  do  you  call  the 


HILLS,   MOUNTAINS,  VALLEYS. 


39 


very  high  land  on  the  right  and  on  the  left  ? 
The  long,  narrow  piece  of  land  between  the 
two  mountains? 

When  you  look  at  this  picture  you  must 
think  of  a  real  valley  between  mountains. 

Bring  pictures  of  hills  and  mountains  to 
school,  if  you  can  find  them. 

If  you  had  a  molding-board  and  a  few 
quarts  of  sand,  you  might  represent  hills  and 
mountains  with  valleys  between.  Think  of  a 
real  hill  while  you  mold. 

Draw  on  your  slate  a  hill  you  have  seen 
with  a  little  of  the  surrounding  country. 

Write.: 

A  long,  narrow  piece  of  land  between  hills  and  moun- 
tains is  called  a  valley. 

A  hill  is  land  a  little  higher  than  the  country  about  it. 

A  mountain  is  land  that  rises  to  a  very  great  height 
above  the  country  about  it. 


OP   THX 

UNIVERSITY 


HOME  GEOGKAPHY. 


Lesson  XIII. 

RAIN,   WIND,  AND  SNOW. 

Do  you  see  the  dropping  rain, 

Pitter-patter  on  the  pane? 

How  it  runs  along  the  street! 

And  it  wets  our  little  feet; 

But  it  makes  the  green  grass  grow, 

And  the  tiny  streamlets  flow. 

Listen  to  the  wintry  blast 
Moaning,  shrieking,  howling  past, 
Striking  with  tremendous  force 
Rocks  and  forests  in  its  course ; 
But  it  blows  the  windmills  strong, 
And  it  sends  big  ships  along. 


RAIN,  WIND,   AND  SNOW.  41 

"Watch  the  pretty  snowflakes  fall, 
Some  are  large  and  some  are  small; 
Look,  they  cover  all  the  ground, 
Miles  of  dazzling  white  around; 
But  this  covering,  I  am  told, 
Keeps  the  earth  from  frost  and  cold. 


Ah !   and  I  must  work  alway, 
Life's  not  meant  to  spend  in  play ; 
Every  moment's  fleeting  fast, 
And  our  day  will  soon  be  past; 
If  our  work  is  truly  done, 
It  will  last  though  ages  run. 

Of  what  use  is  rain  ?      Of  what  use  is  snow  ?     Of 
What  use  is  wind? 


42  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  XIV. 

HOW  WATER  IS  CHANGED  TO  VAPOR. 

What  happens  when  a  kettle  of  water  is 
put  on  a  hot  stove  ? 

The  water  gets  hot  and  boils  away. 

Where  does  it  go?     Is  it  destroyed? 

The  water  is  changed,  but  it  is  not  de- 
stroyed. Coal  burns,  but  we  do  not  get  rid 
of  it  altogether.  It  is  changed  into  gas  and 
smoke  and  ashes. 

What  is  the  water  changed  into  ? 

It  is  changed  to  vapor.  If  we  let  the  kettle 
remain  on  the  fire  long  enough,  the  water  it 
contains  will  all  pass  away  as  vapor. 

Where  does  the  vapor  go?  The  water, 
though  turned  into  vapor,  must  be  some- 
where. 

It  is  floating  about  in  the  air  of  the  room, 
though  we  cannot  see  it.  The  air  holds  the 
vapor,  just  as  a  sponge  holds  water. 

Heat  expands  or  swells  air.  Warm  air, 
therefore,  can  contain  more  vapor  than  cold 


HOW   WATER  IS  CHANGED  TO  VAPOR.  43 

air.  On  a  warm  day  there  may  be  many 
times  as  much  moisture  in  the  air  as  on  a 
cold  day. 

Moisten  your  slate  with  a  damp  sponge. 
Observe  the  disappearance  of  the  moisture. 

Dip  your  hand  in  water;  and  wave  it  in  the 
air.  The  water  on  your  hand  disappears. 
Where  has  it  gone? 

When  wet  clothes  are  hung  on  the  line, 
they  soon  become  dry.  What  becomes  of 
the  water  in  the  clothes? 

If  we  set  a  plate  of  water  out  in  the  sun- 
shine, what  happens?  Is  the  water  lost? 

The  streets  and  roads  were  wet  and  muddy, 
now  they  are  dry.  What  has  become  of  the 
water?  Has  it  all  sunk  into  the  ground? 

Sometimes  we  see  leaves  and  grass  sparkle 
with  water-drops,  early  in  the  morning. 
When  the  sun  shines  out  and  warms  the  air, 
what  happens? 

Why  does  vapor  rise  into  the  air? 

Why  does  smoke  go  up?  Because  it  is 
lighter  than  air.  As  vapor  is  lighter  than 
air,  what  do  you  think  ought  to  happen  to  it  ? 


44 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Lesson  XV. 

HOW  VAPOR  IS  CHANGED  TO  WATER. 

Heat,  as  you  have  learned,  changes  water 

into  vapor.  You 
must  also  know 
that  cold  turns 
vapor  back  into 
water  again. 

Now  let  us  think 
of  the  kettle  with 
the  boiling  water. 
You  will  notice  a 
little  space,  quite 
close  to  the  spout, 

where  nothing  can  be  seen.    Is  there  no  vapor 
there  ? 

Yes,  there  is  vapor  there,  but  it  cannot  be 
seen;  it  is  invisible.  A  little  way  from  the 
spout  we  see  something  white,  like  smoke. 
This  is  only  the  vapor  that  has  been  chilled 
by  the  cool  air  and  changed  back  again  into 
water.  The  water  is  in  the  form  of  very 


'*  THINK  OF  THE  KETTLE  WITH  THE 
BOILING  WATEK." 


HOW  VAPOR  IS  CHANGED  TO  WATER.  45 

fine  particles,  and  may  be  called  water- 
dust. 

Hold  a  cold  plate  over  boiling  water.  Ob- 
serve how  the  water-dust  gathers  into  drops 
that  roll  down  the  plate. 

You  have  seen  the  inside  of  windows  in 
cold  weather  covered  with  moisture.  Where 
does  it  come  from  ?  Why  did  it  form  there  ? 
Why  does  it  sometimes  run  down  on  the 
cold  pane? 

The  vapor  in  our  breath  turns  into  water 
on  frosty  mornings.  Explain  this. 

Carry  a  pitcher  of  ice-water  into  a  room, 
and  notice  what  takes  place.  A  thin  mist  at 
once  gathers  on  the  outside  of  the  pitcher. 
What  takes  place  among  the  little  drops  of 
mist  ?  What  becomes  of  these  larger  drops  ? 

Where  does  the  water  which  collects  on  the 
outside  of  the  pitcher  come  from?  Does  it 
come  through  the  pitcher  from  the  inside? 
Would  the  same  thing  have  taken  place  if 
some  other  cold  object  had  been  used  instead 
of  a  cold  pitcher? 

Write  out  what  you  have  learned  about  vapor. 


46  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  XVI. 

DEW,   CLOUDS,   AND  RAIN. 

The  sun  is  all  the  time  heating  the  water 
on  the  land  and  in  the  sea,  and  changing  it 
into  vapor,  which  rises  in  the  air.  We  cannot 
see  the  vapor;  but  it  is  in  the  air  around  us. 

If  the  vapor  in  the  air  is  suddenly  cooled, 
a  strange  thing  happens.  Some  of  it  quickly 
changes  back  into  water.  You  have  often 
seen,  in_the  early  morning,  little_  drops  of 
water  hanging  like  pearls  upon  the  blades 
of  grass. 

Now,  where  do  these  drops  come  from  ? 
They  come  from  the  air.  The  vapor  in  the 
air  floats  against  the  cold  grass  and  leaves, 
and  is  cooled  and  changed  into  tiny  drops  of 
water.  We  call  this  dew. 

Of  what  use  is  dew  ? 

If  the  night  is  quite  cold,  the  dew  will 
freeze.  It  is  then  called  frost.  You  have 
seen  the  frosty  window  pane  with  the  beauti- 
ful pictures  upon  it. 


DEW,   CLOUDS,   AND  RAIN.  47 

Make  a  picture  of  the  window  as  you 
remember  it,  covered  with  the  pretty  things 
made  by  the  frost. 


"WHEN   VAPOR  RISES   IIIGH  IN  THE  COOL  AIR. 


When  vapor  rises  high  in  the  cool  air  it 
is  turned  into  very  small  drops  of  water 
or  minute  crystals  of  ice,  and  we  can  see  it 
floating  about  in  the  air.  It  is  then  called 
a  cloud.  Almost  any  clear  day  you  may  see 
clouds  form  and  then  seem  to  melt  away. 

You  have  seen  on  a  blue  sky,  light,  fleecy 
feather-clouds.  They  are  very  high  up,  and 
it  is  very  cold  where  they  are.  You  have 
also  noticed  the  clouds  at  sunset  with  their 


48  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

beautiful  colors.  As  the  sun  sank  lower  and 
lower,  how  did  they  change,  in  shape  and 
color  ? 

When  clouds  are  low  down,  near  the  earth, 
we  call  them  fogs  or  mist. 

If  clouds  are  cooled,  the  little  particles  of 
water  gather  into  large  drops  and  fall  as 
rain.  If  the  drops  should  freeze  in  falling, 
we  would  call  them  hail. 

What  shape  are  the  raindrops?  Of  what 
use  is  the  rain? 


"HAVE  YOU  EVEK  SEEN   SNOWFLAKES  THROUGH  A  MICROSCOPE?" 

Sometimes,  when  it  is  very  cold,  the  mois- 
ture in  the  air  freezes  before  it  forms  into 
drops,  and  falls  in  the  beautiful  flakes  we 
call  snow.  Have  you  ever  seen  snowflakes 
through  a  microscope? 


THE  FAIRY  ARTIST.  49 

Snow  keeps  the  roots  of  plants  warm. 
Many  plants  would  die  in  winter  if  it  were 
not  for  the  snow.  What  other  uses  has 
snow? 

Observe  the  clouds,  fog,  rain,  snow,  dew, 
frost,  and  tell  what  you  have  noticed. 

Write  what  you  have  seen  or  noticed  about  vapor, 
clouds,  rain,  etc. 

Lesson  XVII. 

THE  FAIRY  ARTIST. 

Oh,  there  is  a  little  artist 

Who  paints  in  the  cold  night  hours 
Pictures  for   little  children 

Of  wondrous  trees  and   flowers! 

Pictures  of  snow-white  mountains 
Touching  the  snow-white  sky ; 

Pictures  of  distant  oceans 
Where  pretty  ships  sail  by. 

Pictures  of  rushing  rivers 

By  fairy  bridges  spanned; 
Bits  of  beautiful   landscape 

Copied  from  elfin  land. 
4 


50  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


The  moon  is  the  lamp  he  paints  by; 

His  canvas  the  window  pane; 
His  brush  is  a  frozen  snowflake; 

Jack  Frost  the  artist's  name. 


Lesson  XVIII. 

HOW  RIVERS   ARE  MADE. 

Have  you  ever  seen  a  brook  or  creek  ?  A 
river?  Is  there  a  brook  or  river  near  here? 
Who  can  tell  where  it  begins  ?  where  the 
water  comes  from  that  fills  it?  where  it 
goes?  Let  us  try  to  understand  this. 

As  vapor  rises  into  high,  cool  air,  or  is 
carried  with  the  air  in  winds  up  the  sides 
of  mountains,  it  turns  into  water  again,  and 
comes  falling .  down  as  rain. 

Now  think  where  the  rain  that  falls  on 
mountains  must  go.  Some  of  the  water  runs 
off  on  the  surface,  down  the  mountain  slope. 
Some  sinks  into  the  ground,  and  runs  along  in 
little  streams  below  the  surface.  It  will  appear 
again,  bubbling  out  of  the  mountain  side  as  a 
spring.  The  spring  is  the  beginning  of  a  river. 


HOW  RIVERS  ARE  MADE. 


51 


Did  you  ever  see   a  spring?     Where  was 
it  ?     Was   it   shaded   by  trees  ?     Where  did 
the    water 

KMttC|MW^* 

-^  ^         come  from  ? 

Did  you 
drink 


"DID   YOU   EVEK    SEE   A   SPRING?" 


from  it  ?  Was  the  water  pure  and  cold  ?  Where 
did  the  water  go  after  leaving  the  spring  ? 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


From  the  spring  flows  a  tiny,  thread-like 
stream,  so  small  that  we  can  easily  step  across 
it.  This  little  stream  is  called  a  rill. 

Other  rills  meet  this,  and  form  a  larger 
stream,  which  is  called  a  brook  or  creek. 


gr      A  RIVER  FliOM  ITS   SOURCE  TO  ITS 
MOUTH. 


As  the  brook  flows 
on,  it  is  joined  by  other 
streams,  until,  little  by 
little,  it  becomes  a  wide  and  deep  river  on 
which  large  boats  may  float.  At  last,  it  finds 
its  way  into  the  ocean. 

Where  a  river  begins  is  its  source.  The 
place  where  it  flows  into  another  body  of 
water  is  called  its  mouth.  The  land  over 
which  it  flows  is  its  bed. 

A  river  has  two  banks.     As  we  go  toward 


HOW  RIVERS  ARE  MADE.  53 

its  mouth,  the  right  bank  is  on  our  right  hand, 
and  the  left  bank  is  on  our  left. 

Do  you  live  near  a  river  ?  Where  does  the 
water  come  from  ?  In  what  direction  does  it 
flow?  Why  does  it  flow  in  such  direction? 
t)oes  it  wind  about  much  ?  Does  it  flow  into 
the  ocean,  or  into  another  river? 

Is  the  water  fresh  or  salt  ?  What  grow  on 
its  banks?  Near  which  bank  do  you  live? 

Make  a  picture  of  a  spring,  and  a  brook 
flowing  from  it.  Draw  the  tall  grass  and 
plants  that  grow  near  it. 

Write  the  names  of  all  the  rivers  you  have 
seen. 

Write  the  following  : 

"Water  flowing  out  of  the  ground  is  called  a  spring. 

From  springs  flow  small  streams  called  rills,  brooks, 
or  creeks. 

A  large  stream  of  water  flowing  through  the  land 
is  called  a  river. 

A  small  stream  of  water  flowing  into  a  larger  one 
is  called  a  tributary. 

The  source  of  a  river  is  where  it  begins.  The  place 
where  it  empties  into  another  body  of  water  is  its  mouth. 

Every  river  has  two  banks — a  right-hand  bank  and 
a  left-hand  bank. 


54  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  XIX. 

MORE  ABOUT  RIVERS. 

Let  us  have  another  chat  about  the  river. 

• 

We  may  fancy  that  we  are  following  it  in  its 
course  to  the  sea.  We  shall  then  learn  for 
ourselves  many  things  we  do  not  know  about 
rivers. 

We  will  begin  our  journey  at  its  source. 
Here  it  is  a  little  rill,  formed  by  water  that 
trickles  from  a  spring,  or  by  the  melting  of 
snow. 

As  it  flows  on;  it  is  joined  by  many  other 
little  streams;  until  it  grows  to  be  much 
larger. 

There  is  a  large  word  used  for  a  stream 
that  feeds  another  stream.  Do  you  know 
what  it  is?  The  word  is  tributary.  Tribu- 
taries are  often  called  brandies. 

Before  we  leave  this  part  of  the  river,  I 
wish  you  to  learn  another  hard  word. 

You  have  seen  the  water  run  off  the  roof 
of  a  shed.  The  ridge,  or  highest  part  of  the 


MORE  ABOUT  RIVERS.  55 

roof,  divides  the  rain  that  falls  on  it,  so  that 
part  of  the  rain  flows  down  the  one  side,  and 
part  of  it  flows  down  the  other  side. 

Now,  hills,  like  the  roof  of  a  house,  send  off 


"  HILLS   SEND   OFF    STREAMS   ON   BOTH    SIDES." 

streams  on  both  sides.  When  it  rains,  or  the 
snow  melts,  some  of  the  water  goes  down  on 
one  side,  some  on  the  other.  And  that  is  why 
the  hills  which  divide  or  part  the  waters  of 
streams  are  called  a  water-parting  or  water-shed. 

Let  us  now  go  further  down  the  stream. 

Here  we   see   it   rushing   rapidly  down   a 


56 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


steep  slope.  Its  waters  foam  and  dash  be- 
tween the  great  rocks  that  lie  in  the  stream. 
Such .  places  in  the  river  are  called  rapids. 
Can  you  tell  why  they  are  so  called  ? 


"  SUCH  PLACES  ARE  CALLED  RAPIDS." 

The  stream  flows  on.  It  has  now  reached 
a  high  ledge  of  rock.  Over  this  it  leaps,  mak- 
ing a  great  foam  and  noise. 

When  the  water  of  a  river  falls  over  high 
rocks,  it  is  called  a  waterfall  or  cataract. 


MORE  ABOUT  RIVERS. 


57 


You  may  have  seen  the  Falls  of  Niagara,  the 
greatest  waterfall  in  the  world. 


'  YOU  MAY  HAVE  SEEN   THE 
FALLS   OF   NIAGARA." 


The  course  of  our 
river  is  now  through 

a  lower  country.  The  valley  in  which  it  flows 
spreads  out,  and  the  stream  growrs  wider  and 
wider.  The  water  moves  slower  and  slower. 

Why  is  the  river  swift  in  some  places,  and 
in  others  slow? 

At  length  it  flows  through. an  almost  level 
country.  It  is  here  widest  and  deepest.  Its 
course  is  more  winding. 

Do  you  know  why  it  is  crooked  and  wind- 
ing? 

Because  on  the  steep  hillside  the  water  runs 


53 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


very  rapidly,  and  is  not  easily  turned  aside 
Where  the  ground  is  nearly  level,  it  runs 
slowly,  and  is  easily  turned  from  its  course. 


Lesson  XX. 

THE  BROOK. 


From  a  fountain 
In  a  mountain, 

Drops  of  water  ran 
Trickling  through  the 

So  our  brook  began. 


Slow  it  started; 

Soon  it  darted, 
Cool  and  clear  and  free, 
Rippling  over  pebbles, 
Hurrying  to  the  sea. 


WORK  OF  FLOWING  RIVERS.  59 

Children  straying 

Came  a-playing 
On  its  pretty  banks; 
Glad,  our  little  brooklet 
Sparkled  up  its  thanks. 

Blossoms  floating, 

Mimic  boating, 
Fishes  darting  past, 
Swift,  and  strong,  and  happy, 
Widening  very  fast. 

Bubbling,  singing, 
Rushing,  ringing, 
Flecked  with  shade  and  sun, 
Soon  our  pretty  brooklet 
To  the  sea  has  run. 

Lesson  XXI. 

WORK  OF  FLOWING   RIVERS. 

Would  you  like  to  know  more  about 
brooks  and  rivers — about  the  work  they  do  ? 

Notice  what  happens  when  it  rains.  Little 
tiny  streams  are  formed,  which  chase  each 
other  down  the  slopes.  See  how  they  cut 
away  the  loose  soil  and  carry  it  off.  Notice 


60  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

how  muddy  this  loose  soil  makes  the  water. 
What  becomes  of  this"  loose  soil,  or  mud? 

Fill  a  jar  with  water.  Put  in  a  handful  of 
mud  from  the  nearest  stream.  ShaKe  the  jar, 
and  the  water  is  muddy.  Let  it  stand  awhile. 
What  do  you  notice?  The  water  is  clear, 
and  the  soil  has  settled  to  the  bottom. 

Follow  the  streams  to  the  valley  where 
they  unite  to  form  a  river.  When  does  the 


"THESE  FERTILE  MEADOWS   WEBE  FORMED  OUT  OF  THE  LOAM." 

load  of  mud  it  carries  settle  ?     Here,  where 
the  water  scarcely  moves,  we   find  some  of 


WORK  OF  FLOWING  RIVERS.  61 

the  soil  spread  out  over  the  ground  near  the 
river  banks. 

You  have  seen  a  river  overflow  its  banks. 
When  the  water  went  down,  it  left  a  layer 
of  rich  mud,  which  made  the  soil  very  fertile. 

Have  you  never  seen  the  low  ground  on 
the  banks  of  rivers  covered  with  rich  grass 
and  clover? 

Well,  these  fertile  meadows  were  formed 
out  of  the  loam  that  has  been  washed  down 
the  streams  from  the  far-off  hills  and  moun- 
tains. 

Look  at  the  jar  again.  Which  settled  first, 
the  coarse  material  or  fine  loam  ?  What  kind 
of  a  deposit  will  be  made  in  the  upper  course 
of  a  river  ?  What  kind  toward  the  mouth  ? 

High  up  in  the  valley,  when  the  river  is 
low,  we  see  pebbles  in  its  bed ;  lower  down, 
the  pebbles  are  worn  into  gravel;  and  as  we 
get  still  farther  down,  we  find  the  gravel 
ground  into  sand. 

Examine  the  stones  found  along  the  shore 
of  a  brook  or  river.  Some  are  quite  smooth 
and  round.  They  were  not  always  so,  but 


62  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

had  sharp  edges.  Do  you  know  what  made 
them  round? 

When  there  are  heavy  rains,  the  rushing 
water  sweeps  large  stones  down  the  mountain 
side  and  into  the  valley.  As  they  are  carried 
down  the  stream,  the  stones,  by  rubbing 
against  each  other,  are  smoothed  and  rounded 
and  ground  into  pebbles.  The  pebbles  them- 
selves are  ground  at  last  into  gravel  and  fine 
sand. 

This  is  what  the  streams  are  doing  every- 
where— plowing  deep  furrows  in  the  sides 
of  the  mountains,  grinding  the  pebbles  and 
sand  into  fine  soil,  and  carrying  it  into  the 
valleys  below. 

Lesson  XXII. 

WATERDROP'S  STORY. 

Patter,  patter,  fall  the  raindrops  on  the 
brown  leaves  in  the  woods.  Mr.  Squirrel's 
bright  eyes  sparkle  as  he  peeps  out  of  his 
queer  little  home,  a  hole  in  the  tree;  his 
store  of  nuts  has  been  carefully  hidden  away. 


WATERDROP'S  STORY. 


63 


Splash  comes  a  drop  on  a  leaf  just  opposite 
him.     Such   a   friendly  little    drop    it   is,  for 
soon  it  tells  this  little 
woodland  dweller  of 
all  its  travels. 

Let  us  listen,  for 
we  may  hear  too : 

"  My  home/'  be- 
gan the  Waterdrop, 
"  is  in  the  wide  blue 
seft,  where  I  live 
with  many,  many 
other  drops. 

"  One  day  as  we  rode  up  and  down  on  the 
big  waves,  the  sun  shone  down  on  us,  and  we 
grew  warmer.  Each  little  drop  felt,  <0ii,  if 
I  could  only  get  away  from  the  other  drops, 
how  much  cooler  I  should  be  ! '  Then  each 
tiny  drop  separated  from  the  others,  and 
grew  so  small  you  could  not  see  it. 

"  We,  of  course,  grew  lighter,  lighter  than 
the  air.  Up,  up  we  rose  into  the  bright 
blue  sky.  When  we  got  pretty  high,  where 
the  air  was  cool,  we  came  closer  together 


64  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

again  and  formed  a  great  fleecy  white  cloud, 

that  cast  its  shadow  over  every- 

R mi 

thing.  Then  a  friendly  wind  car- 
ried us  along,  and  soon  we  left  the 
I  sea  behind.  Far  below;  we  could  see 
green  fields  and  waving  woods/7 

"You  must  have  been  very 
happy/'  said  the  little  squirrel. 

"Yes;  it  was  a  merry  life  we 
led,  as  we  floated  hither  and 
thither,  playing  with  the  sun- 
beams/' replied  the  Waterdrop. 

"  But  we  came  at  last  to  a  pur- 
ple mountain,  and  a  chill  wind  be- 
gan to  blow.  How  we  shivered 
with  the  cold !  Then  we  huddled 
close  together  to  get  warm.  We 
were  now  heavy  again — so  heavy 
that  we  could  not  stay  up  in  the  air. 

"  Then, 

I'm  going  down  to  cheer  a  flower,' 

Cried  a  little  drop  of  rain ; 
I  hear  it  sigh.     It  droops  its  head 

As  if  in  weary  pain.' 


WATERDROP'S  STORY.  65 

'And  I  will  go!'    'And  I!'   'And  I!' 
Cried  all  the  raindrops  near. 

So  down  we  went  in  merry  haste 
The  whole  wide  field  to  cheer. 

"The  drooping  flowers  lifted  their  bright 
faces  to  thank  the  little  drops  for  the  cool 
drink.  Even  the  great  tall  trees  nodded  their 
heads  in  welcome/' 

"  The  grass  on  the  hillside  and  in  the  valley 
must  have  been  grateful,  too,  for  your  com- 
ing," said  the  squirrel.  "  It  always  looks  so 
fresh  and  green  after  a  shower.  But,  tell  me, 
what  became  of  you  ?  " 

"I  fell  where  the  ground  was  brown  and 
bare,  stopped  for  a  moment,  then  went  down, 
down  into  the  ground,  where  all  was  dark. 
I  met  other  drops  trying  to  get  out,  and  we 
went  on  together,  turning  first  this  way,  then 
that  way,  till  we  burst  into  the  sunshine 
again. 

"  We  rested  for  a  moment  in  a  tiny  pool  of 
clear  water;  then  I  ran  with  the  rest  down 
the  mountain  side,  slipping  over  smooth  peb- 
bles, and  tumbling  over  sharp  rocks,  until  I 


66  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

found  myself  in  a  deep,  swift  stream,  where 
plants  and  trees  grew  on  either  bank. 

"  As  I  was  hur- 
ried along,  I  heard 
a  great  roaring 
noise  made  by  the 
river  falling  over  a 
high  ledge  of 
rocks,  as  a  cata- 
ract or  waterfall. 
Suddenly  we  fell 
over  the  rocks  so 
steep  and  high 
that  we  went  leap- 
ing and  dashing  in 
all  directions.  We 
rose  in  the  air  in 

"  SUDDENLY  WE  FELL  OVER  THE  ROCKS." 

a  fine   gray  mist, 

then  sank  back  again  into  the  foam-covered 
stream. 

"  Soon  we  were  in  a  broad,  quiet  river,  flow- 
ing past  the  grassy  hills  and  green  pastures. 
Then  we  came  to  a  big  mill-wheel,  upon 
which  we  jumped,  and  by  our  weight  made 


WATERDROP'S  STORY. 


it   turn   over   and   over,  and   thus  move  the 
machinery  in  the  mill.     Here  we  were  tossed 


"THEN   WE  CAME  TO  A  BIG  "MTT/T,. 
WHEEL." 


in  the  air,  whirled  around, 
and  at  last  flung  back  into 
the  river,  where  we  sailed 
slowly  and  quietly  as  before. 

"  By  and  by,  we  saw  large  boats  floating  on 
the  water.  We  passed  towns  and  cities  with 
busy  streets  and  many  people;  and  as  our 


68 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


river  widened,  and  we  heard  the  big  sea 
waves  dashing  against  the  shore,  we  knew 
our  brothers  and  sisters  were  singing  a  wel- 
come home. 


"WE   PASSED   TOWNS   AND  CITIES." 


"  And  now  farewell,  little  squirrel.  My  story 
is  done,  and  I  must  hasten  to  my  home  in  the 
sea.  Perhaps  we  shall  meet  again  some  day. 
I"  may  float  down  to  you,  a  white-winged 
snowflake,  or  patter  down  as  I  came  this 
time,  a  tiny  raindrop." 

Write  the  following  : 

The  water  rises  from  the  sea  in  vapor. 


THE  RIVER.  69 

The  vapor  is  turned  into  clouds,  which  fall  in  rain  or 
snow. 

The  rain  forms  rivers,  which  flow  back  again  into  the 
sea. 

Thus  the  water  is  always  going  round  and  round  in  its 
long  and  curious  journey — up  to  the  clouds  in  vapor, 
down  in  rain,  back  in  streams  to  the  place  it  started  from. 


Lesson  XXIII. 

THE  RIVER. 

"  Oh,  tell  me,  pretty  river, 
Whence  do  thy  waters  flow  ? 

And  whither  art  them  roaming, 
So  smoothly  and  so  slow  ?  " 

"  My  birthplace  was  the  mountain, 
My  nurse  the  April  showers; 

My  cradle  was  a  fountain, 

O'er-curtained  by  wild  flowers. 


70  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

a  One  morn  I  ran  away, 

A  madcap,  noisy  rill ; 
And  many  a  prank  that  day 

I  played  adown  the  hill! 

"  And  then  'mid   meadowy  banks, 

I  flirted  with  the  flowers, 
That  stooped  with  glowing  lips 

To  woo  me  to  their  bowers. 

"But  these  bright  scenes  are  o'er, 
And  darkly  flows  my  wave; 

I  hear  the  ocean's  roar — 

And  there  must  be  my  grave ! " 

Where  have  you  seen  a  river  like  the  one  spoken  of 
in  the  poem?  Are  rivers  born?  What  is  meant  by 
"My  nurse  the  April  showers"?  "I  flirted  with  the 
flowers  "  2  Explain  the  last  stanza. 


A  MAP. 


n 


Lesson  XXIV. 

A  MAP. 


A  drawing  made  to  show  a  room,  or  a 
house,  or  the  school-yard,  or  even  a  village,  is 
called  a  plan. 


Drawings  which  represent  land  and  water 
are  called  maps.  You  may  learn  from  maps 
where  the  countries,  and  mountains,  and 


72  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

rivers,  and  cities  are  that  you  have  seen. 
It  also  shows  how  far  places  are  from  one 
another. 

Here  is  a  map  showing  mountains  and 
rivers.  The  many  short  lines  facing  each 
other  represent  mountains.  To  show  the 
very  high  part  of  the  mountains,  the  lines  are 
drawn  close  to  each  other,  making  that  part 
of  the  map  look  dark.  The  line  winding 
about,  like  the  stream  itself,  represents  a  river. 
The  line,  as  you  see,  is  made  thicker  and 
thicker  toward  its  mouth.  From  this  you 
may  know^  that  the  river  itself  becomes 
broader  and  broader  as  it  flows  toward  the  sea. 

But  you  must  not  think  that  the  crooked 
line  on  the  map  is  a  river,  or  the  lines  which 
face  each  other  are  mountains.  If  you  do, 
you  will  learn  very  little  of  geography, 
When  you  look  at  these  lines,  you  must  think 
of  the  real  things  which  they  stand  for — the 
lofty  mountains,  with  their  covering  of  forests, 
and  with  long,  narrow7  valleys  betwreen  them ; 
the  winding,  gently  flowing  river,  bearing 
boats  upon  its  waters. 


FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER.  73 

Lesson  XXV. 

FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER. 

You  all  know  what  a  pond  is.  Is  there  a 
pond  near  where  you  live  ?  Did  you  ever  fish 
in  it?  Did  you  ever  walk  round  it? 

When  a  stream,  on  its  way  to  the  ocean, 
flows  into  a  basin  or  hollow  in  the  land,  the 
water  spreads  out  and  fills  it.  A  hollow  in 
the  land  filled  with  water  is  called  a  lake,  or, 
if  it  be  quite  small,  a  pond. 

What  is  a  lake  made  of  ?  What  is  round 
it  ?  Suppose  some  one  who  never  saw  a  lake 
were  to  ask  you  what  a  lake  is,  what  would 
you  say? 

What  do  we  find  in  lakes  ?  Would  you  not 
like  to  sail  on  a  lake? 

In  the  hollows  among  mountains  are  great 
numbers  of  beautiful  lakes.  In  their  clear 
waters  may  be  seen  the  mountains,  the  forests, 
and  the  sky,  as  in  a  looking-glass.  At  night 
the  moon  and  stars  may  be  seen  below  you 
as  plainly  as  above. 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY 


Here  is  a  picture  of  a  pretty  lake  in  a 
valley. 

You  see  a  river  flowing  from  the  hills  be- 
yond. Into  what  is  it  flowing?  The  river 


This  river  we 


that  lets  the  water   into  the 
lake  is  called  an  inlet. 

You  see  another  river  that 
lets  the  water  out  of  the  lake, 
call  the  outlet  of  the  lake. 

Make  a  lake  on  your  molding-board,  or  in 
the  sand  near  your  home.  Represent  its  inlet 
and  outlet. 

Out  in  the  lake  is  a  little  piece  of  land  round 


FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER.  75 

which  the  waters  play.  We  could  not  go  to 
this  land  without  crossing  the  water;  the 
water  is  on  all  sides  of  it.  Such  a  little  piece 
of  land  is  called  an  island. 

Did  you  ever  read  the  story  of  Kobinson 
Crusoe  ?  You  will  remember  that  he  went  up 
a  hill  in  search  of  water.  When  he  got  to 
the  top  of  the  hill,  he  saw  that  he  was  on  an 
island.  How  did  he  know? 

Have  you  ever  seen  an  island?  What 
island  w^as  it?  Could  you  sail  round  it? 
What  was  on  every  side  of  it  ?  What  grew 
on  it  ?  What  is  an  island  ? 

If  there  is  a  brook  or  lake  near  your  home, 
how  can  you  make  an  island  ? 

Opposite  is  a  picture  of  a  river  and  a  lake. 
Make  a  map  of  the  same  river  and  lake  on 
your  slate.  Notice  how  the  coast  or  shore 
of  the  lake  bends  in  and  out. 

Write  the  following : 

A  lake  is  water  surrounded  by  land. 
The  land  near  the  water  of  a  lake  is  called  its  shore. 
An  island   is   a  little  piece  of  land  surrounded  by 
water. 


76 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Lesson  XXVI. 

MORE  ABOUT  FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER. 

An  island,  as 
we  have  learned, 
is  a  piece  of 
land  with  water 
all  round  it. 
Now,  sometimes 
we  see  a  piece  of 
land  that  has 
water  nearly  all 

PICTURE    OF   A   PENINSULA. 

round    it.       This 

form   of    land   is    called    a   peninsula.      The 
word    peninsula 
means   almost  an 
island. 

In  the  picture 
we  see  a  narrow 
strip  of  land 
which  extends 
far  out  into  the 
water.  You  will 
notice  that  the 


MAP  OF  A  PENINSULA. 


MORE   ABOUT  FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER.         77 


land  has  water  all  round;  except  at  one 
place. 

What  is  the  name  for  land  that  has 
water  on  all  sides  but  one  ?  What  is  a 
peninsula  ? 

How  would  you  change  this  peninsula  to 
an  island  ?  What  is  the  difference  between 
a  peninsula  and  an  island  ? 

The  narrow  neck  which  joins  the  peninsula 
to  other  land — -just  as  the  neck  joins  the 
head  to  the  body — is  called  an  isthmus,  which 
means  neck. 

Here    is  ^ mamm 

another 
picture 
which  I 
wish  you 
to  look  at. 
You  see 
where  the 
s  h  o  r  e 

PICTURE  OP  A  BAY. 

bends   like 

a  bow,  and  the  water  runs  a  little  way  into 

the  land. 


78 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Can  you  think  of  anything  else  that  is  bent 
like  this  ?  Tes — a  bay-window. 

Now,  when  I  tell  you  that  bay  means  the 
same  as  bow,  you  can  almost  guess  the  name 
for  this  bend  in  the  land.  It  is  called  a  bay. 
You  will  easily  remember  that  little  word. 

A  wide 
opening  or 
bend  in  the 
land,  into 
which  the 
water 
flows,  i  s 
u  s  u  ally 
called  a 
bay. 

Some 

times,  when  the  opening  in  the  bend  is  long 
and  narrow,  it  is  called  a  gulf. 

On  the  next  page  is  shown  a  narrow  strip 
of  water  joining  two  larger  bodies  of  water. 
The  name  given  to  this  narrow  passage  is 
strait,  a  word  meaning  narrow. 

As  an  isthmus  connects  two  bodies  of  land,. 


MAP  OF  A  BAY. 


MORE  ABOUT  FORMS  OF  LAND  AND  WATER. 


79 


PICTURE   OF   A    STRAIT. 


so  a  strait  con- 
nects two  bodies 
of  water. 

After  a  rain 
make  little  lakes, 
rivers,  bays,  etc. 
Perhaps  you  may 
find  some  already 
made. 

See    whether 

you  can  find  in  the  magazines  and  books  at 
home  pictures  of  gulfs,  bays,  peninsulas,  etc. 

Write  the  following : 

A  peninsula  is  land  almost  surrounded  by  water. 

An  isthmus  is  a 
neck  of  land  joining 
two  larger  bodies  of 
land. 

A  gulf  or  bay  is  a 
portion  of  some  large 
body  of  water  ex- 
tending into  the  land. 
A  strait  is  a  nar- 
row passage  of  water 
that  joins  two  larger 
bodies  of  water. 


MAP  OF  A  STRAIT. 


80  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  XXVII. 

A  TRIP  TO  THE  HIGHLANDS. 

Uncle  Tom  had  been  telling  Fred  and  me 
about  many  strange  places  he  had  seen.  Last 
of  all,  he  told  us  about  some  high  mountains 
he  had  climbed.  We  wanted  to  climb  one 
very  much.  So  father  said  he  would  go  with 
us  up  a  high  hill  not  far  from  the  city. 

Mother  did  not  need  to  call  us  in  the  morn- 
ing, for  we  woke  up  very  early.  The  sky  in 
the  east  was  bright,  and  we  knew  that  soon 
we  should  see  the  sun.  We  wanted  to  start 
at  once,  but  mother  said  it  would  be  better  to 
have  breakfast  first. 

We  put  on  thick  shoes  that  the  stones 
would  not  easily  cut.  Father  gave  each  of 
us  a  stout  stick  to  help  us  climb.  Fred  had  a 
knapsack,  in  which  mother  put  some  bread, 
cold  meat,  crackers,  and  a  cup  to  drink  from. 
In  one  corner  we  put  some  towels. 

We  were  soon  outside  the  city,  walking 
along  the  road.  We  passed  a  village,  and 


A  TRIP  TO  THE  HIGHLANDS. 


81 


went  through  fields  and  woods.  By  and 
by  we  could  see  the  land  before  us  rising 
higher  and  higher.  We  saw  no  longer  such 
beautiful  farms  and  gardens  as  we  had  passed. 


WE  WENT   UP  THE  SLOPE.' 


In  a  little  while  we  reached  the  foot  of  the 
hill  and  began  to  ascend.  As  we  went  up  the 
slope,  we  came  to  steep,  rugged  places  that 
were  hard  to  climb,  where  we  needed  our 

6 


g2  HOME  GEOGRAPHY 

sticks.  The  trees  were  smaller,  and  there 
were  many  bushes.  There  were  large  rocks, 
too,  in  the  sides  of  the  hill.  At  the  foot,  the 
weather  was  quite  warm,  but  it  grew  cooler 
and  cooler  the  higher  we  went. 


WE  COULD   SEE  THE   CITY   WITH   ITS   LITTLE    STRAIGHT    STREETS.' 


"  On  the  summit  at  last ! ;/  cried  Fred,  as 
we  reached  the  top. 

From  where  we  stood,  we  could  see  the 
city  with  its  little  straight  streets,  that  look 
so  wide  when  we  walk  on  them.  We  could 
see  the  house-tops,  too,  and  the  church 
steeples.  Then  father  showed  us  the  village 


A  TRIP  TO   THE  HIGHLANDS. 


83 


we  passed,  and  the  woods  we  wrent  through. 
But  the  trees  looked  like  bushes,  and  some 
men  at  the  foot  of  the  hill  looked  no  larger 
than  the  baby. 

Down  the  mountain,  a  little  way,  we  found 
a  spring  where  the  water  was  clear  and  cool. 
Here  we  sat  down  on  a  rock,  and  ate  the 
lunch  we  had  brought.  While  we  rested,  we 


"IN   THE   VALLEY   LAY   A   LARGE   SHEET   OF    STILL   WATER." 

watched  the  little  rill  that  flowed  from  the 
spring — 

"Blue  in  the  shadow, 
Silver  in  the  sun." 


84  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Down  the  hill,  it  was  larger,  and  we  saw 
other  rills  flowing  into  it.  When  it  reached 
the  valley,  it  was  much  larger ;  and  farther 
down,  father  said,  boats  could  sail  on  it. 

Before  us,  in  the  valley,  lay  a  large  sheet  of 
still  water. 

"Oh,  how  pretty!"    exclaimed  I. 

"Yes,  that  is  a  lake,"  said  father.  "How 
beautiful  it  looks  as  the  sunlight  plays  on  its 
smooth  surface !  It  reflects  in  its  clear  water 
the  sky  and  the  trees  around  it." 

"I  can  see  an  island  in  the  lake,"  said 
Fred.  "Vessels  are  sailing  all  round  it." 

"  Are  all  islands  small,  like  that  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  said  father.  "  Some  islands  are 
hundreds  of  miles  round,  and  have  many 
people  living  upon  them." 

Fred  then  pointed  to  a  piece  of  land  extend- 
ing out  into  the  water,  and  asked  whether 
that,  too,  was  an  island. 

"  No,"  replied  father,  "  that  is  a  peninsula. 
It  is  land  almost  surrounded  by  water.  And 
the  narrow  neck  which  joins  the  peninsula  to 
the  mainland  is  called  an  isthmus. 


A  TRIP  TO  THE  HIGHLANDS.  85 

"You  see  the  bend  in  the  land,  with  the 
water  from  the  lake  running  in?"  asked 
father. 

"  Yes,"  said  Fred. 

"That  is  called  a  bay.  Around  every 
ocean,  which  is  a  much  larger  body  of  water, 
there  are  many  such  bays. 

"The  narrow  strip  of  water,  which  a 
boat  is  just  entering,  is  called  a  strait.  The 
strait  separates  the  island  from  the  main- 
land." 

Stretching  far  away  to  the  east  was  flat, 
level  land,  which  father  called  a  plain.  Scat- 
tered here  and  there  were  many  farmhouses 
and  quiet  villages.  Little  bright,  sparkling 
streams  wound  their  way  like  silver  threads 
through  the  green  grass  of  the  meadows. 
It  was  a  lovely  scene  indeed ! 

The  sun  was  already  low  in  the  west  as  we 
made  ready  to  return.  As  it  set — 

A  wonderful  glory  of  color, 
A  splendor  of  shifting  light — 

Orange  and  scarlet  and  purple 
Flamed  in  the  sky  so  bright. 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 
Lesson  XXVIII. 

SPRING. 

Drops  of  rain  and  bits  of  sunshine 
Falling  here  and  gleaming  there, 

Tiny  blades  of  grass  appearing, 
Tell  of  springtime  bright  and  fair. 

Budding  leaves  are  gently  swaying, 
Merry  glad  notes  sweetly  ring; 

Robins,  bluebirds,  gayly  singing, 
Tell  of  happy,  pleasant  spring. 

Violets,  in  blue  and  purple, 
By  the  twinkling  water  clear ; 

Fair  spring  beauties,  frail  and  dainty, 
Tell  the  story,  spring  is  here. 

Cherry,  peach,  and  apple  blossoms 
Scattering  fragrance  far  and  wide ; 

Buttercups  and  pure  white  snowdrops 
Tell  of  gracious,  sweet  springtide. 

LILLIAN  Cox. 


BRA 

OF    THK 


USEFUL  VEGETABLES 


Lesson  XXIX. 

USEFUL  VEGETABLES. 

In  the  heart  of  a  seed  buried  deep,  so  deep, 
A  dear  little  plant  lay  fast  asleep. 
"  Wake  !  "  said  the  sunshine,  "  and  creep 

to  the  light." 
"  Wake ! "    said  the   voice  of  the   rain- 


drops bright. 


The  little  plant 
heard,  and  it 
rose  to  see 

What  the  won 
derful  out 
side  world 
might  be. 


A  SPROUT. 


A  VINE  BEGINNING  TO  GROW. 


What  vegetables  grow 
in  your  neighborhood? 

Of  which  do  we  use  the 
roots  as  food  ?  Of  which 
the  leaves  ?  Of  which  the 
seeds?  Of  which  the 
stems  or  stalks? 

Which  is  the  most  use- 


88 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY 


ful  garden  vegetable?  There  is  no  common 
garden  vegetable  so  highly  thought  of  as  the 
potato.  How  are  potatoes  planted? 

Answer  the  questions  in  writing  so  as  to 
make  a  little  composition  about  vegetables. 


Lesson  XXX. 

USEFUL    GRAINS. 

Wheat  and  corn  are  called  grain  because 
they  are  small,  hard  seeds. 
What  other  kinds  of  grain 
can  you  name  ? 

Which  of  these  grains  is 
used  the  most  ?  Which  makes 
the  choicest  flour? 

Some  kinds  of  wheat  are 
sown  in  the  spring.  These 
are  called  spring  wheat. 

Winter  wheat  is  sown  in 
the  fall.  A  few  days  of  sun 
and  rain,  and  the  plants  spring 
up  like  grass,  remaining  green 
RIPE  WHEAT.  through  the  winter. 


USEFUL  GRAINS. 


89 


What  color  does  the  wheat  turn  as  it  rip- 
ens ?     When  it  is  ripe  what  is  done  with  it  ? 
For   what    is    the    flour   of  wheat    used? 


HARVESTING    WHEAT   IN    THE   WEST. 


What  is  sometimes  done  with  the  stalks,  or 
straw  ? 

Indian  corn  is  one  of  the  most  useful  of 
plants.  Do  you  know  why  it  is  called  Indian 
corn?  It  is  because  the  Indians  first  raised 
it 


90 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


When  is  corn  planted?  How  is  the  land 
prepared  for  planting?  What  is  done  to 
the  corn  while  the  plartts  are  small  ?  When 

does  it  ripen? 
How  tall  does 
it  grow? 

What  is  the 
stem  of  the 
corn  called  ? 
What  are  the 
flowers  on  the 
stalk  of  corn 
called?  On 
what  do  the 
grains  of  corn 
grow  ? 

What  use  is 
made  of  the 
green  stalks 
and  leaves  ? 

What  use  is  made  of  the  ripe  grain?     For 
what  are  corn-husks  largely  used? 

Sweet  corn,  if  boiled  when  green,  is  an  ex- 
cellent vegetable.  It  is  preserved  by  canning. 


SEVERAL  KINDS   OF   GRAIN. 


USEFUL  GRAINS. 


91 


A  large  cornfield,  with  its  tall,  straight 
stalks,  covered  with  green  shining  leaves  and 
crowned  by  flowers,  is  a  very  pleasant  sight. 


'ANOTHER  C.IIAIN   \\iiKii   \v i-;  KIND  ON   ALMOST  KYKKY  TABLE." 


Corn  is  sometimes  called  the  national 
emblem.  What  does  emblem  mean? 

What  use  is  made  of  oats,  barley,  rye,  and 
buckwheat  ?  Some  of  these  grains  are  useful 
in  two  or  three  ways. 

There  is  another  grain  which  we  find  on 


92  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

almost  every  table.  It  is  rice.  The  rice 
plant,  when  growing,  resembles  wheat;  but, 
unlike  wheat,  it  needs  a  great  deal  of  mois- 
ture. So  the  rice-grower  sows  it  in  fields 
which  he  can  flood  or  drain  at  will. 

Do  you  know  what  people  live  on  rice 
without  any  meat  at  all?  Ask  your  teacher 
to  tell  you  how  rice  is  raised  in  China  and 
Japan. 

You  ought  to  find  something  to  tell  your 
teacher  and  classmates  about  the  grains. 

Perhaps  you  would  enjoy  drawing  some  of 
the  grains  you  have  seen. 

Choose  one  of  the  grains,  and  write  what  you  have 
learned  about  it  from  conversation  and  observation. 

We  plow  the  fields,  and  scatter 

The  good  seed  on  the  land, 
But  it  is  fed  and  watered 

By  God's  almighty  hand. 
He  sends  the  snow  in  Avinter, 

The  warmth  to  swell  the  grain, 
The  breezes  and  the  sunshine, 

And  soft  refreshing  rain. 


FRUITS. 


93 


Lesson  XXXI. 

FRUITS. 

Name  some  trees  upon  which  grow  things 
to  eat.     What  do  we  call  such  trees? 

What  fruit  trees  have  you  seen  ?     What  do 


THE   ORANGE  TREES   ARE  LOADED   WITH   GOLDEN   FRUIT/ 


we   call   the   place   where   many   fruit   trees 
grow? 


94  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Did  you  ever  pick  berries  ?  What  makes 
it  hard  to  pick  blackberries? 

Name  fruits  that  grow  about  here.  Which 
grow  on  trees?  Which  on  bushes?  Which 
on  vines? 

Mention  the  different  uses  of  these  fruits. 

The  orange  is  one  of  the  most  delicious 
and  wholesome  of  fruits.  It  grows  only  in 
the  warmer  parts  of  our  country.  In  winter 
as  well  as  in  summer,  the  orange  trees  are 
loaded  with  golden  fruit  and  fragrant  blos- 
som. The  blossoms  are  white,  and  are  very 
beautiful. 

Name  other  fruits  that  grow  in  warm  parts 
of  the  country. 

People  who  live  in  cold  countries  need  such 
food  as  will  make  them  warm.  What  kinds 
of  food  are  best  in  cold  countries?  What 
people  live  mainly  on  fish  and  the  flesh  of 
animals?  Do  any  .fruit  trees  grow  in  very 
cold  countries? 

What  kinds  of  food  are  best  in  hot  coun- 
tries ?  The  people  cannot  eat  fatty  food,  for 
that  would  heat  the  body.  Do  we  find  in 


USEFUL  PLANTS.  95 

such  countries  grain,  vegetables  and  cooling 
fruits  for  the  people  to  live  upon? 

Write  answers  to  some  of  the  questions  asked  in  the 
lesson,  so  as  to  make  a  composition  about  fruits. 


Lesson  XXXIL 

USEFUL  PLANTS. 

What  plant  supplies  us  with  much  of  our 
clothing  ?    Name  articles  of 
clothing  made  of  cotton. 

Did  you  ever  see  a  field 
of  cotton  ?  In  the  summer 
the  young  plant  is  covered 
with  pretty,  pale-yellow 
flowers.  In  the  autumn  you 
see  the  pod  or  boll  which 
contains  the  cotton. 

As  the  pod  ripens,  it 
bursts  open.  The  cotton- 
field  is  nOW  a  pretty  sight  "YOU  SEE  THE  POD  OB 

— the  bright   green  leaves, 

yellow  blossoms,  and  snowy  cotton  all  mingled 


96 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY 


together.     Form  a  picture  in  your  mind  of  a 
field  of  cotton  in  bloom. 

The  cotton  is  now  picked.     The  first  thing 
is  to  separate  it  from  its  seed.     This  is  done 
by  a  machine  called  a  cotton- 
gin. 

Now  it  is  ready  to  be  pressed 
in  great  bales  and  sent  to  mar- 
ket. It  will,  at  last,  go  to  the 
cotton  mills  and  be  spun  into 
thread,  then  woven  into  mus- 
lin, calico,  etc. 

Are   the  seeds  of  any   use? 
They  contain   a  great    deal  of 
oil,    which    is    pressed  out   by 
machinery.       What      is      the 
name    of    this    oil  ?       What    use     is    made 
of  it? 

There  is  another  plant  from  which  clothing 
is  made. 

Do   you   know  what   plant   linen  is  made 
from?     Linen  comes  from  the  flax  plant. 

Flax  is  a  small  plant  which  grows  two  or 
three  feet  high,  bearing  on  the  top  a  bunch 


FLAX   IS   A   SMALL 
PLANT." 


of 


USEFUL  PLANTS. 


97 


of  pretty  blue  flowers.      A  field   of  flax   in 
bloom  is  a  very  pretty  sight. 

The  flax  does  not  grow  in  a  pod  like  cot- 
ton. The  stalk  of  the  plant  is  covered  with  a 
bark,  or  skin,  containing  fibers.  These  fibers 
are  spun  into  thread,  which  is  woven  into  a 
cloth  called  linen. 

The  seeds  are  used  for 
making  an  oil  called  lin- 
seed oil.  For  what  is 
linseed  oil  used? 

Do  you  think  people 
who  live  in  hot  coun- 
tries need  the  same  kind 
of  clothing  as  those  who 
live  in  cold  countries? 

What  kind  of  cloth- 
ing should  you  think 
was  needed  in  cold 
countries  ?  Would  such 
clothes  be  comfortable  in  hot  countries? 

There  is  a  plant  that  yields  no  food,  drink, 
or  clothing,  yet  it  is  used  in  nearly  every 
country  in  the  world.  Can  you  tell  its  name  ? 

7 


A   PLANT   THAT    YIELDS   NO 
FOOD." 


98 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Every  one  has 
seen  it  growing. 
It  is  tobacco. 

Do  you  think 
the  tobacco  plant 
is  as  useful  as  the 
cotton  and  flax 
plants  ? 

Everybody  eats 
sugar.  Did  you 
ever  see  a  table  set 
for  supper  without 
a  sugar  bowl  ? 

The  sugar  in 
common  use  in 
this  country  is 
made  chiefly  from 
sugar-cane.  The 
sugar-cane  is  a  tall 
plant  which  looks  much  like  Indian  corn 
when  growing.  It  is  called  the  sugar-cane 
because  it  is  filled  with  the  sweet  juice  that 
is  made  into  the  sugar. 

When  the  stalks  are  cut  they  are  taken  to 


SUGAR-CANE   IS   A  TALL   PLANT." 


FOREST  TREES.  99 

a  sugar  mill.  Here  they  pass  between  great 
rollers  which  press  out  the  juice.  The  liquid 
is  then  boiled  until  it  turns  to  sugar. 

Much  sugar  is  made  from  the  sap  of  the 
sugar-maple  tree.  In  the  early  spring  the  sap 
begins  to  rise.  A  hole  is  bored  in  the  tree 
and  a  tube  inserted,  through  which  the  sap 
passes  to  a  bucket  or  other  vessel  placed  to 
receive  it.  The  sap  is  boiled  in  large  kettles 
and  becomes  syrup.  More  boiling  turns  the 
syrup  into  sugar. 

Write  what  you  have  learned  of  cotton  and  linen. 

Lesson   XXXIII. 

FOREST  TREES. 

in  your  walks  what  things  please  you  the 
most  ?  Is  it  not  the  trees  ?  Trees  are  very 
useful  to  us,  and  we  ought  to  be  very  grateful 
for  them. 

Name  some  trees  along  the  streets  and  in 
the  parks.  Are  they  useful  to  us,  especially 
on  a  hot  day?  Why?  Then  what  kind  of 
trees  do  we  call  them?  (Shade.)  Which 


100 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


of  these  are  the  first  to  put  on  their  green 
dresses  in  the  spring  ?  Which  are  the  bright- 
est in  autumn? 

Name  some  trees  that  grow  in  the  woods. 


A    SHADY    STREET. 


Name  a  tree  whose  wood  is  dark.  A  tree 
whose  wood  is  light.  A  tree  whose  wood  is 
hard.  A  tree  whose  wood  is  soft. 

Name  some  trees  that  are  valued  for  the 
color  and  hardness,  or  the  beautiful  grain,  of 
their  wood. 


FOREST  TREES.  101 

What  kind  of  wood  are  the  desks  made  of? 
The  teacher's  table? 

What  kinds  of  wood  are  used  in  making 
chairs  ?  tables  ?  pianos  ?  windows  ?  floors  ? 

If  we  wish  to  make  a  carriage,  omnibus, 
cart,  or  wagon,  which  wood  should  we  use? 
Why? 

From  wThich  trees  do  w^e  get  lumber  for 
building  ? 

Can  you  name  a  wood  which  is  very  hard 
and  tough,  and  is  used  in  building  ships  ? 

What  do  we  call  many  trees  together,  like 
these  ? 

What  is  Arbor  Day  ?  Why  need  we  plant 
trees  ? 

What  do  we  plant  when  we  plant  the  tree  ? 
We  plant  tlie  houses  for  you  and  me. 
We  plant  the  rafters,  the  shingles,  the  floors. 
We  plant  the  studding,  the  laths,  the  doors, 
The  beams  and  siding,  all  parts  that  be — 
We  plant  the  house  when  we  plant  the  tree. 

What  do  we  plant  when  we  plant  the  tree  ? 
A  thousand  things  that  we  daily  see. 


102 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


We    plant    the    spire  that 

out-towers  the  crag, 
We  plant  the  staff  for  our 

country's  flag, 
We   plant   the  shade,  from 

the  hot  sun  free — 
We  plant    all    these   when 

we  plant  the  tree. 

There  are  trees  much 
larger  than  any  we  find 
growing  here.  I  am  sure 
you  must  have  heard  of 
the  great  trees  of  Cali- 
fornia. Some  of  them 
are  one  hundred  feet 
around,  and  nearly  four 
hundred  feet  high, — 
twice  as  high  as  a  very 
tall  steeple.  In  one  of 
these  trees,  if  hollowed 
out,  a  large  family  might 
live. 

In  your  rambles  in  the  woods,  notice  and 
examine  the  trees  which  you  see.     Learn  to 


GBEAT  TREES   OF  CALIFORNIA. 


FLOWERS. 


103 


know  the  trees  so  that  you  can  call  them  by 
their  proper  names. 

Draw  and  paint  some  of  the  objects  noticed ; 
as  grains,  vegetables,  trees,  etc.  You  will 
enjoy  this  very  much,  and  it  will  help  you  to 
see  these  things  better. 


Lesson  XXXIV. 


J*Sis 


FLOWERS. 

A  flower  is  a  weak  and  tiny 
thing ;  but  there  are  many  flow- 
ers, and  by  helping  together 
they  cover  the  earth  with  beauty 
and  fill  the  air  with  sweetness.  They 
seem  to  have  been  made  to  give  us 
pleasure. 


104  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

It  will  be  easy  and  useful  to  learn  some- 
thing about  the  flowers  that  grow  where 
you  live.  How  many  flowers  can  you  men- 
tion by  name?  Which  do  you  know  at 
sight?  Where  would  you  go  to  find 
them? 

Would  you  find  them  all  growing  in  the 
same  place?  Which  can  live  only  in  wet 
places  ?  Which  thrive  best  where  there  is 
but  little  moisture  ? 

If  we  take  a  walk  in  the  fields  in  the  early 
spring,  which  flowers  shall  we  be  likely  to 
see?  Which  later?  What  color  are  they? 
Which  are  fragrant?  Which  most  beauti- 
ful ?  Which  w  ould  you  like  for  your  flower 
vase?  Which  would  you  like  to  plant  and 
care  for  in  a  box  of  earth  or  a  garden- 
bed? 

Can  you  find  and  name  the  parts  of  a  plant 
• — root,  stem,  leaves,  bud,  flower  ?  Learn  the 
uses  of  each  part. 

Here  are  some  pretty  verses  on  "  Spring  and 
the  Flowers."  Perhaps  you  will  commit  them 
to  memory. 


WHAT  IS  NECESSARY  TO  MAKE  PLANTS  GROW.    105 

In  the  snowing  and  the  blowing, 

In  the  cruel  sleet, 
Little  flowers  begin  their  growing 

Far  beneath  our  feet. 

Softly  taps  the  Spring  and  cheerly: 

"Darlings,  are  you  there?" 
Till  they  answer,  "  We  are  nearly, 

Nearly  ready,  dear. 

"  Where  is  Winter  with  his  snowing  ? 

Tell  us,  Spring,"  they  say. 
Then  she  answers,  "He  is  going, 

Going  on  his  way. 

"Poor  old  Winter  does  not  love  you, 

But  his  time  is  past; 
Soon  my  birds  shall  sing  above  you — 

Set  you  free  at  last." 

Lesson   XXXV. 

WHAT  IS  NECESSARY  TO  MAKE  PLANTS  GROW. 

Plants  do  not  grow  in  winter.  Can  you 
tell  why  ?  Plants  do  not  grow  in  hot  places 
called  deserts.  Can  you  think  of  any  reason 
for  this? 


106 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


What  two  things   are   necessary  to  make 
plants  grow  ?     At  what  time  of  the  year  can 

they  get  these  ? 

If  a  country  has 
a  great  deal  of 
heat  and  rain,  wrhat 
can  we  be  sure  of 
about  its  trees  and 
grass  and  flow- 
ers? 

There  are  places 
that  have  rain 
enough,  but  very 
little  heat.  How 
do  you  suppose 
the  trees  gro  w 
there  ? 

You  may  get  in- 
formation about 
plants  and  things 
by  seeing  for  your- 
self, by  asking  oth- 
ers, and  by  reading 

IF  A  COUNTRY  HAS  A  GREAT  DEAL         ,  -, 

OP  HEAT   AND  RAIN."  DOOKS. 


SUMMER  RAIN.  107 

Write  the  names: 

Of  some  grains  that  we  use  for  food. 
Of  some  vegetables  that  we  use  for  food. 
Of  two  plants  from  which  clothing  is  made. 
Of  woods  used  in  making  furniture. 
Of  woods  used  in  building  our  houses. 

Lesson   XXXVI. 

SUMMER  RAIN. 

Oh,  gentle,  gentle  summer  rain  ! 

Let  not  the  silver  lily  pine, 
The  drooping  lily  pine  in  vain, 

To  feel  that  dewy  touch  of  thine, 
To  drink  thy  freshness  once  again, 
Oh,  gentle,  gentle  summer  rain ! 

In  heat  the  landscape  quivering  lies, 
The  cattle  pant  beneath  the  tree; 

Through  parching  air  and  purple  skies 
The  earth  looks  up,  in  vain,  for  thee; 

For  thee — for  thee  it  looks  in  vain, 

Oh,  gentle,  gentle  summer  rain  ! 

Come  thou,  and  brim  the  meadow  streams, 
And  soften  all  the  hills  with  mist, 


108 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Oh,  falling  dew !     Fr'om  burning  dreams 

By  thee  shall  herb  and  flower  be  kissed; 
And  earth  shall  bless  thee  yet  again, 
Oh,  gentle,  gentle  summer  rain ! 


Lesson  XXXVII. 

THE  PARTS   OF   ANIMALS. 


Animals  which  live  in  or  near  people's 
houses  and  are  tame  are  domestic  animals; 
others  are  wild. 


TIGER'S  FEET. 


What  animals  are  found  where  you  live? 
Which  are  domestic?     Which  wild? 
Which  of  these   animals  feed  upon  grass? 
grains?  fruits?  flesh? 


THE  PARTS  OF  ANIMALS. 


109 


You  know  what  sharp  claws  a  cat  can  put 
out  when  it  pleases.  What  use  does  the  cat 
make  of  its  claws  ? 

How  does  a  cat's  paw  differ  from  a  dog's? 
How  does  a  dog  seize  its  prey  ? 


DUCK'S  FOOT. 


HEN'S  FOOT. 


Compare  a  duck's  bill  with  an  owl's.  What 
use  does  the  duck  make  of  its  broad  flat 
bill  ?  The  owl,  of  its  sharp  hooked  bill  ? 

How  do  the  bills  of 
the  hen  and  the  duck 
differ?  Would  a  bill 
fitted  for  pecking  be  as 
useful  to  the  duck  as 
its  own  bill? 

Can  you  draw  a  picture  of  a  duck's  foot 
and  a  hen's  foot?  For  what  does  each  use 
its  feet? 

Would  broad  web-feet  be  as  useful  to  the 
hen  as  slender  toes? 


SEIZING  CLAW. 


HO  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

What  kind  of  feet  has  the  sheep?  For 
what  are  its  feet  only  used  ?  Could  a  sheep 
use  feet  like  those  of  a  cat  or  a  hen? 

You  see  each  animal  has  parts  well  fitted 
for  the  life  it  leads. 

Lesson  XXXVIII. 

THE  COVERING  OF  ANIMALS. 

Name  two  animals  covered  with  fur. 

Two  covered  with  hair.  Two  covered  with 
feathers. 

What  do  we  call  the  covering  of  a  sheep  ? 
Of  a  pig  ?  Of  what  use  is  hair  to  animals  ? 

What  covering  has  an  oyster?  A  lobster? 
A  turtle  ?  Of  what  use  is  it  to  them  ? 

The  duck's  feathers  are  covered  with  an  oily 
coating,  which  keeps  them  from  getting  wet. 
Are  the  feathers  of  the  hen  so  covered  ?  Why  ? 

Suppose  a  squirrel's  covering  were  like  that 
of  a  turtle's,  what  would  result  ? 

What  would  result  if  a  bird  had  scales  in- 
stead of  feathers  ?  You  see  that  each  animal 
has  that  covering  which  suits  its  habits  best. 


USES  OF  ANIMALS. 


Ill 


Lesson  XXXIX. 

USES  OF   ANIMALS. 

What  domestic  animals  are  used  for  food  ? 
What  wild  animals  are  used  for  food? 


"WHAT  DOMESTIC  ANIMALS  ARE  USED  FOR  FOOD?" 

From  what  animals  do  we  get  beef?  pork  ? 
mutton?  veal? 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

What  birds  and  fowls  are  used  for  food  ? 
What  fishes? 

From  what  animal  do  we  get  wool?  How 
is  wool  taken  from  the  sheep  ?  What  articles 
of  dress  are  made  of  wool  ? 


"FROM  WHAT  ANIMAL  DO  WE  GET  WOOL? 


Name  the  animals  whose  skins  are  used  to 
make  leather.  How  is  leather  prepared  ? 
Did  you  ever  see  a  tannery  ?  What  do  they 
do  there? 


USES  OF  ANIMALS.  113 

From  what  animals  do  we  get  furs? 

What  is  silk? 

Silk  is  made  by  little  worms  called  silk- 
worms. When  the  worm  is  fully  grown,  it 
spins  round  itself  a  small  ball  of  silk,  called  a 


THE   SILKWORM   AND  MOTH. 


cocoon.  If  this  cocoon  were  left  to  itself,  the 
worm  would  change  to  a  moth,  and  the  moth 
would  eat  its  way  out  of  this  little  house. 
But  this,  of  course,  would  cut  the  little 
threads  and  spoil  the  silk.  As  soon,  there- 
fore, as  the  cocoon  is  made,  it  is  put  into  hot 


114  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

water  to  kill  the  worm.  In  this  way  the 
silk  is  saved. 

Almost  every  part  of  the  cow  is  made  use 
of.  For  what  is  the  flesh  used  ?  What  use  is 
made  of  the  hoofs  ?  horns  ?  hair  ?  What 
is  done  with  the  skin  ?  What  other  uses  has 
the  cow  ? 

What  animal  shows  the  most  affection  for 
his  master  ? 

Mention  some  kinds  of  dogs. 

You  may  have  seen  a  dog  called  the  St. 
Bernard.  He  is  large,  with  long  curly  hair. 
In  the  Alps  mountains,  where  traveling  is 
dangerous,  the  St.  Bernard  dogs  have  saved 
many  lives.  Who  use  their  dogs,  as  we  use 
horses,  to  draw  their  sledges  ? 

Which  is  the  most  useful  animal  to  man  ? 

Draw  and  paint  some  of  the  animals  spoken 
of  in  the  lesson. 

Write  the  names: 

Of  animals  useful  for  food. 
Of  animals  which  work  for  man. 
Of  animals  useful  to  us  for  clothing. 
Of  birds  and  fowls  used  for  food. 


THE  SIGNS  OF  THE  SEASONS.  115 

Lesson  XL. 

THE  SIGNS  OF  THE  SEASONS. 

What  does  it  mean  when  the  bluebird  comes 
And  builds  its  nest,  singing  sweet  and  clear  ? 

When  violets  peep  among  blades  of  grass? — 
These  are  the  signs  that  spring  is  here. 

What  does  it  mean  when  berries  are  ripe? 

When  butterflies  flit,  and  honeybees  hum  ? 
When  cattle  stand  under  the  shady  trees  ? — 

These  are  the  signs  that  summer  has  come. 

What  does  it  mean  when  the  crickets  chirp, 
And  away  to  the  south  the  robins  steer? 

When  apples  are  falling,  and  leaves  grow  brown  ? — 
These  are  the  signs  that  autumn  is  here, 

What  does  it  mean  when  days  are  short? 

When  leaves  are  gone,  and  brooks  are  dumb  'i 
When  fields  are  white  with  drifted  snow  ? — 

These  are  the  signs  that  winter  has  come. 


116  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Lesson  XLI. 

THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH. 

The  earth  contains  many  things  that  are 
of  great  value  to  us.  These  we  must  find 
and  dig  out. 

The  coal  we  burn  in  our  grates  to  warm 
us;  iron,  from  which  so  many  useful  things 
are  made ;  gold,  silver,  tin,  lead,  and  copper, 
— all  come  out  of  the  earth. 

But  these  are  not  all  the  valuable  things 
hidden  away  in  the  earth. 

From  salt  wells  we  get  a  great  deal  of  the 
salt  used  on  our  tables.  From  oil  wells  is 
obtained  the  oil  we  use  in  our  lamps  to  give 
us  light.  Diamonds  which  sparkle  so  beauti- 
fully, and  the  stone  we  use  in  building,  are 
also  taken  from  the  earth. 

Coal,  iron,  gold,  silver,  lead,  tin,  copper, 
mercury,  and  salt  are  called  minerals. 

The  opening  dug  in  the  earth  from  which 
minerals,  except  stone,  are  taken,  is  called 
a  mine. 


THINGS  FOUND   IN  THE  EARTH.  11? 

One  of  the  most  useful  of  minerals  is  coal. 
Did  you  ever  stop  to  think  how  much  hard 
work  coal  does  for  us  ?  It  grinds  our  wheat, 

it  weaves  our  cloth, 
it  carries  us  by  sea 
and  by  land  over 
the  earth.  Hardlv 


OIL  WELLS 


any  labor  can  be   done  without  coal. 

You  have  noticed  that  some  coal  burns 
with  a  great  deal  of  flame  and  smoke.  That 
is  called  soft  or  bituminous  coal.  That  hard, 
clean-looking  coal,  which  burns  with  little 


118  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

blaze,  yet  gives  out  such  great  heat,  is  anthra- 
cite coal. 

Coal  has  many  uses.  Mention  all  you  can 
think  of.  From  which  kind  is  gas  obtained, 
hard  or  soft  coal? 

What  is  coal  ?  Some  day  you  will  be  able 
to  understand  how  coal  was  made,  and  how 
it  got  deep  down  in  the  earth. 

What  article  used  with  food  is  found  in 
mines  ?  Does  all  salt  come  out  of  the  mines  ? 
How  is  the  salt  made  that  is  not  found  in 
mines  ? 

There  are  salt  mines  where  men,  women, 
and  children  live  all  their  lives,  and  never  see 
sun  or  sky.  Many  great  rooms  and  galleries, 
with  tall  pillars  to  hold  up  the  roof,  are  cut 
out  of  the  salt.  When  lighted  up  with 
torches,  they  glitter  as  if  studded  with  pre- 
cious stones.  It  is  like  a  fairy  palace. 

Some  minerals  are  called  metals.  Iron, 
gold,  silver,  copper,  tin,  and  mercury  are 
metals. 

Iron  is  the  most  useful  of  all  metals.  Did 
you  ever  think  what  we  should  do  without 


THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH. 


119 


this  hard,  strong  metal  ?     The  following  lines 
tell  some  of  the  uses  of  iron: 


Iron  vessels  cross  the  ocean, 
Iron  engines    give    them  mo- 
tion ; 

Iron  pipe  onr  gas  delivers, 
Iron  bridges  span  our  rivers, 
Iron  horses  draw  our  loads, 
Iron  rails  compose  our  roads; 
Iron  houses,  iron  walls, 
Iron  cannon,  iron  balls, 
Iron  lightning  rods  on  spires, 
Iron  telegraphic  wires, 
Iron      hammers,      nails,      and 

screws, 
Iron  everything  we  use. 


;.n 


IRON    MINE. 


Steel  is  iron  made  very  hard.  Knives,  axes, 
hatchets,  and  other  tools  are  made  of  steel. 
Many  little  things  are  made  of  steel.  Men- 
tion some  of  them. 

Which  is  the  most  valuable  of  all  metals  ? 
Is  all  the  gold  made  into  money  ?  Is  money 
made  of  pure  gold  ?  Why  ?  Name  articles 
^f  ornament  made  of  gold.  Articles  of 


120  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

use.      Are   gold   watches,    chains,    and   rings 
usually  made  of  pure  gold  ?     Why  ?     What 
do  you  call  the  man  who  makes  these  arti- 
cles ? 
Silver  is  the  whitest  and  most  lustrous  of 


CASTING  IRON  FROM  THE  ORB. 


all  the  metals.  What  does  "lustrous  "  mean  ? 
Is  iron  lustrous  ?  Are  silyer  articles  usually 
made  of  pure  silver  ?  Why  ? 

Silver  and  gold  are  found  among  the 
mountains  in  the  west.  Sometimes  they  are 
dug  out  of  the  ground.  Sometimes  they 
are  found  in  rocks,  and  the  rocks  must  be 
broken  up  before  they  can  be  taken  out. 


THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH.  121 

Sometimes  men  wash  down  the  hills  with 
streams  of  water  in  order  to  get  at  the 
silver  or  gold  among  the  rocks. 

Gold   and   silver   are    called    the   precious 


DOWN    THE    HILLS. 


metals  because  they  do  not  rust,  and  on 
account  of  their  scarcity. 

Tin  is  white  and  bright,  but  too  soft  to 
make  articles  which  shall  be  light  and  strong. 
Therefore,  thin  plates  of  iron  are  dipped  into 
melted  tin.  The  tin  adheres  to  the  iron 
and  makes  it  bright  like  tin  itself. 

A  thin   sheet   of  iron,    covered   with   tin, 


122  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

is  called  tin-plate.  It  is  of  this  that  our  tin 
cups,  pans,  and  kitchen  utensils  are  made. 
A  tin  cup  is  really  made  of  iron. 

Lead  is  a  very  heavy  metal.  It  is  so 
soft  that  it  can  be  cut  with  a  knife.  It  is 
used  in  making  shot,  and  water  pipes. 

Do  you  know  how  shot  is  made  ?  Did 
you  ever  see  a  shot-tower?  Small  shot  is 
made  by  dropping  melted  lead  through  a 
sieve  in  rapid  motion,  from  the  top  of  a 
high  tower.  The  drops  fall  into  a  vessel 
of  water  below.  They  are  next  polished 
and  made  black,  and  then  are  ready  for 
sale. 

You  think,  I  suppose,  that  the  lead  pencil 
with  which  you  write  is  made  of  lead.  It  is 
not  made  of  lead,  but  of  graphite,  which  is 
a  kind  of  coal. 

Copper  is  softer  than  iron,  but  harder  than 
lead.  It  will  not  rust.  Cooking  vessels  are 
often  made  of  copper. 

Zinc  is  another  valuable  metal,  and  is 
almost  the  color  of  tin.  Brass  is  made  by 
mixing  copper  and  zinc  together. 


MORE  ABOUT  THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH.   123 

Mention  some  articles  made  of  brass. 
Write  five  lines  about  tin. 
Write  five  or  more  lines  about  coal. 
Write  what  you  know  of  iron,  gold,  silver,  copper, 
lead. 

Lesson  XLJI. 

MORE  ABOUT  THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH. 

We  have  seen  that  there  are  many  kinds  of 

metals.  There  are 
also  many  kinds  of 
stone.  Those  which 
are  strong  and  do 
not  crumble  by  ex- 
posure are  useful  for 
building.  The  place 
from  which  stones 
are  taken  for  build- 
ing is  called  a 
quarry. 

The    more    com- 

A   GRANITE   QUARRY. 

mon      stones      are 

granite,  sandstone,  limestone,  marble,  and  slate. 
We   will  first  examine  a  piece  of  granite. 


124  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

How  hard  and  firm  it  is  !  What  a  beautiful 
clean  surface  when  polished ! 

Granite  is  used  for  steps,  for  paving  streets, 
and  for  sidewalk  curbings.  Are  houses  ever 
built  of  granite  ?  Can  you  think  of  other 
uses  of  granite  ? 

Why  is  granite  used  for  these  purposes  ? 
It  is  easily  shaped.  It  is  hard  enough  to  give 
strength.  It  is  enduring.  What  does  "  endur- 
ing "  mean  ? 

This  is  a  piece  of  sandstone,  made  of  little 
grains  of  sand.  It  will  crumble  more  easily 
than  granite.  What  does  "  crumble  "  mean  ? 
Brownstone,  used  in  building,  is  a  kind  of 
sandstone. 

And  this  is  the  common  gray  limestone  of 

which  lime  used   in  building   is   made.     The 

large  oven  in  which  lime  is  burned  is  called 

•  a   lime-kiln.     Did   you   ever   see   one  ?     Can 

you  tell  how  the  lime  is   made  ? 

Here  are  three  pieces  of  marble.  This 
piece  is  pure  white.  This  is  colored.  It  is 
marked  by  many  strange  forms,  as  you  see 
in  your  mantel-pieces  and  table-tops.  In  this 


MORE  ABOUT  THINGS  FOUND  IN  THE  EARTH.   125 

piece,  you  see  many  colored  spots — mottled 
it  may  be  called. 

Marble  is  beautiful  when  polished. 

In   what    different   ways    have    you    seen 


A   MARBLE   QUARRY. 

marble  used?  What  parts  of  furniture  are 
sometimes  marble  ?  Why  is  it  suitable  for 
this?  Is  marble  ever  used  for  building 
houses  ?  Do  you  think  it  would  be  good 
for  that  purpose  ?  Why  ?  Which,  do  you 
think,  is  the  best  of  all  building  stones  ? 
Why? 


126  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Marble  and  granite  are  the  most  beautiful 
and  enduring  of  all  building  stones. 

Clialk  is  a  variety  of  limestone.  Could  it 
be  used  as  a  building  stone  ?  Is  chalk  harder 
or  softer  than  other  stone  ? 

You  need  not  to  be  told  the  name  of  this 
dark  stone.  You  could  not  get  along  well  in 
school  without  date.  Slate  is  easily  split  into 
thin  plates,  and  has  a  smooth,  firm  surface. 

Slate  is  used  to  write  on.  It  is  used  in 
house  building.  What  part  of  a  house  is 
sometimes  slate  ?  Think  of  other  uses.  Why 
is  it  useful  for  these  purposes  ? 

We  must  not  forget  brick  in  our  talks  about 
things  that  come  out  of  the  ground.  Brick  is 
not  found  in  the  earth,  as  the  metals  and 
stone  are  found ;  but  it  is  made  of  clay,  which 
is  itself  a  part  of  the  ground. 

Have  you  ever  seen  a  brick-yard  ?  What 
are  some  of  the  uses  of  bricks  ?  What  is  the 
man  called  who  builds  houses  of  bricks  ? 

Is  glass  taken  out  of  a  mine  or  quarry? 
No;  but  glass  is  made  from  sand;  which  is 
also  a  part  of  the  ground. 


HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE  AND  WHAT  THEY  ARE  DOING.  127 

In  laying  brick  or  stone,  the  mason  uses 
mortar.  Mortar  is  made  chiefly  of  lime. 
Lime  is  made  of  stone  which  comes  out  of 
the  ground. 

If  possible,  visit  mines  and  quarries.  Take 
careful  notice  of  all  you  see,  and  on  your 
return  to  school  tell  what  you  have  learned. 


Lesson  XLIII. 

HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE   AND   WlTAT  THEY   ARE  DOING 


t'Koi'LK    \VIIO   LIVE   IN    SNOW   HOUSES?1 


Can  you  think  of  anything  used  in  building 
houses  that  does  not  come  from  the  earth? 


128 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


Do  all  people   have  large,  fine   houses   of 
brick  or  stone  to  live  in  ?     What  is  a  tent  ? 


WIGWAMS. 


A  wigwam?     Who  live  in  huts?     Did  you 
ever  hear  of  people  who  live  in  snow  houses  ? 


HOUSES   BUILT   OF   BAMBOO. 


In  some  places  houses  are  built  of  bamboo. 
Bamboo  is  a  kind  of  cane  that  grows  in 
warm  countries. 


HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE  AND  WfiAT  THEY  ARE  DOING.    129 


What  building  is  now  going  up  in  this 
place  ?  Tell  the  use  of  stone,  brick,  mortar, 
iron,  tin,  lead,  and  glass  in  building  the  house. 
Where  and  how 
are  they  ob- 
tained ? 

We  could  not 
live  without 
food.  We  must 
also  have 
clothes  to  wear 
and  houses  to 
live  in.  Besides 
these,  we  need 
schools,  books, 
and  churches, 
which  make  us 
wiser  and  bet- 
ter. Now,  if 
you  think  a  little,  you  can  name  many  other 
things  which  we  need  to  make  our  homes  beau- 
tiful. To  supply  us  with  all  of  these  things, 
men  must  do  many  different  kinds  of  work. 

Where  does  the  food  we  eat  come  from  ? 

9 


"WHO  LIVE  IN   HUTS?' 


130 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


We  get  most  of  it  from  plants.  Wheat,  corn, 
peas,  and  beans  are  seeds  of  plants.  Almost 
all  our  bread  is  made  from  wheat.  Beets, 
turnips,  and  radishes  are  roots  of  plants. 
Lettuce  and  cabbage  are  the  leaves  of  plants. 


"  OUR  BREAD  IS  MADE  FROM  WHEAT. 


Apples,  peaches,  pears,  and  other  fruits  grow 
on  plants.     All  these  we  use  for  food. 

Plants  also  supply  us  with  material  for  cloth- 
ing.     Some    clothes   are  made  from  cotton; 


HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE  AND  WHAT  THEY  ARE  DOING.      131 

cotton  grows  in  the  pod  of  a  plant.  Some 
clothes  are  made  from  linen;  linen  comes  from 
flax,  which  is  a  plant.  Hats  are  made  from 
straw ;  straw  is  the  stem  or  stalk  of  plants. 

Now,  these  plants,  which  supply  us  with  so 
much  of  our  food  and  clothing,  do  not  grow 
of  themselves. 

The  ground  must  be  plowed,  the  seeds 
planted  and  taken  care  of  while  growing. 
So,  outside  the  city,  you  may  see  a  great 
many  people  at  work  raising  grain,  vege- 
tables, and  other  plants.  This  occupation  we 
call  agriculture  or  farming ;  the  people  we 
call  farmers. 

Animals,  as  well  as  plants,  furnish  much 
of  our  food.  All  meat  comes  from  animals. 
We  get  milk  from  cows.  From  milk  we 
make  butter  and  cheese. 

Animals  also  supply  us  with  clothing. 
Many  articles  of  dress  are  made  of  wool. 
Wool,  you  know,  grows  on  the  sheep.  Shoes 
and  kid  gloves  are  made  of  leather.  Leathei 
is  n*ade  from  the  hides  of  cows,  sheep,  oxen, 
and  goats. 


132 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


But   animals  could   not  live  and   grow  if 
people  did  not  carefully  raise  them.     In  the 


"HERDS  OF  COWS   AND  OXEN   FEEDING." 

country,  you  may  see  flocks  of  sheep  and 
herds  of  cows  and  oxen  feeding  on  the  fresh 
sweet  grass  of  the  pastures.  Those  animals 
are  called  stock.  The  business  of  those  who 
raise  them  is  called  stock-raising. 

Most  farmers  raise  cows,  horses,  and  other 
animals.     Which  land  does  the  farmer  use  for 


HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE  AND  WHAT  THEY  ARE  DOING.  133 

pasture  ?  What  is  a  pasture  ?  What  is  a 
meadow  ? 

Grazing  means  feeding  on  grass.  "What 
animals  have  you  seen  grazing  ?  Does  a  dog 
graze  ?  A  cow? 

Mountains,  so  rough  and  rocky,  are  not 
good  for  farms  and  gardens.  But  many  of 
them  contain  coal,  on  which  millions  of  people 
depend  for  heat  and  light.  In  mountains,  too, 
we  find  iron,  which  is  more  useful  to  us  than 
gold  and  silver. 


To  get  these, 
thousands      of 

"A   MINE   IS   LIKE   A   GKEAT   CAVERN." 

men     are      at 

work  in  places  called  mines.     A  mine  is  like  a 


134  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

great  cavern.  There  is  neither  sun  nor  sky. 
Torches  and  lamps  give  the  only  light  the 
miners  have  to  see  by.  The  air  is  damp  and 
close.  I  suppose  you  would  not  like  to  work 
in  such  a  place.  Tet  great  numbers  of  per- 
sons are  employed  in  mining. 

How  is  coal  taken  out  of  a  mine  ?  What 
are  the  dangers  of  coal-mining  ?  Try  to  find 
answers  to  these  questions  for  yourself.  If 
necessary,  your  teacher  will  help  you. 

In  some  parts  of  the  country  are  forests 
of  pine,  oak,  and  other  trees.  Some  of  these 
forests  are  so  large  we  might  travel  for  days 
or  weeks  through  them.  From  trees  we  get 
lumber.  Lumber  is  needed  for  building  houses 
and  ships,  and  for  furniture.  So  a  great  many 
men  are  employed  in  cutting  down  trees  and 
preparing  the  wood  for  use.  This  is  called 
lumbering. 

The  lumbermen  go  into  the  woods  in  win- 
ter, and  build  themselves  little  huts  to  live 
in.  All  through  the  winter  months  they 
work  in  the  woods  from  sunrise  to  sunset, 
felling  the  best  trees  and  cutting  them  into 


HOW  PEOPLE  LIVE  AND  WHAT  THEY  ARE  DOING.  135 


logs.  Then  they  haul  them  over  the  snow- 
covered  ground  to  the  frozen  streams,  and 
pile  them  upon  the  banks. 


"THEY  WORK  IN  THE  WOODS. 


Here  the  logs  must  rest 
till  the  snow  and  ice  have 
melted    and    the    streams 
are  full.      Then   they  are 
floated  down  to  the  great  saw-mills,  and  cut 
up   into   boards,    laths;    shingles,    and    other 
kinds  of  lumber. 

What  is  a  forest  ?     Name  some  forest  trees 
that  grow  near  your  home. 


136 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


The  sea  yields  much  that  we  eat.  Some 
parts  abound  in  codfish,  mackerel,  and  her- 
ring. Sardines,  the  little  fish  that  come  in 
boxes,  are  also  found  in  the  sea.  It  is  the 
business  of  thousands  of  people  who  live  near 
the  ocean  to  catch  fish,  salt  them,  and  pack 


"  IT   IS  THE  BUSINESS  OF  THOUSANDS 
OF   PEOPLE." 


them,  to  send  to  those 
who  want  them  for  food. 

Have  you  ever  seen   the   ocean,  or  eaten 
any  of  its  fish  ? 


MORE  ABOUT  WHAT  PEOPLE  ARE  DOING.  137 

Name  some  fishes  found  in  fresh  water. 

Name  some  kinds  of  fishes  found  in  waters 
near  where  you  live.  How  may  they  be 
caught? 

Lesson  XLJV. 

MORE  ABOUT  WHAT  PEOPLE  ARE  DOING. 

In  the  city  or  town  we  shall  find  many  of 
the  people  busy  about  something  else  than 
the  occupations  we  have  learned.  What  do 
you  suppose  it  is? 

If  you  go  about  the  city,  you  will  see  large 
buildings  several  stories  high,  with  long  rows 
of  windows,  and  great  smoking  chimneys. 
These  are  mills  or  factories,  full  of  machines 
in  motion  doing  their  work  almost  like  human 
beings. 

The  people  who  work  in  them  make  almost 
everything  that  is  needed  for  our  use.  Wheat 
is  changed  into  flour ;  cotton,  into  thread,  fine 
muslins,  and  pretty  calicoes ;  leather,  into 
boots  and  shoes;  iron  and  steel,  into  plows, 
stoves,  and  cutlery;  lumber,  into  wagons, 


138 


HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 


carriages,  and  all  kinds  of  furniture.  Other 
articles  which  we  must  not  forget  are  elegant 
jewelry,  all  sorts  of  ornaments  for  parlors, 
and  beautiful  toys  which  you  admire  so 
much. 


- 


"BUSY  MILLS   AND  FACTORIES. 


It  would  take  a  long  time  to  name  a  small 
part  of  the  things  made  in  the  busy  mills  and 
factories;  but  think  of  the  articles  used  in 


MORE  ABOUT  WHAT  PEOPLE  ARE  DOING.  139 

your  home,  and  you  may  be  sure  they  are 
manufactured  articles.  You  see,  manufactur- 
ing gives  work  to  many  thousands  of  persons. 

What  is  cutlery?  Name  some  articles  of 
cutlery. 

We  need  many  things  which  we  do  not 
produce.  Other  people  need  things  which 
they  do  not  produce.  How  can  each  obtain 
what  he  needs?  By  exchanging  one  thing 
for  another.  This  exchange  of  goods,  or 
buying  and  selling  them  for  money,  gives  rise 
to  another  occupation  called  trade,  or  com- 
merce. So  many  people  spend  their  time 
buying  and  selling  grain,  vegetables,  clothing, 
boots  and  shoes,  or  in  sending  them  to  places 
where  they  are  needed. 

On  all  the  large  rivers  and  lakes  you  may 
see  boats  going  up  and  down,  carrying  goods 
from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another. 

Can  you  think  how  goods  are  carried  from 
place  to  place  where  there  are  no  rivers  ?  In 
countries  where  few  people  live,  goods  are 
often  carried  in  wagons  and  on  the  backs  of 
animals. 


140  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

I  wonder  how  many  people  have  to  work 
to  get  food  and  clothing  for  us.  Make  a  list 
of  all  the  occupations  you  can  think  of. 
Perhaps  you  can  think  of  other  occupations 
we  have  not  named.  Is  dressmaking  an 
occupation  ?  Teaching  ?  Which  occupation 
would  you  prefer?  Why? 

If  you  think,  perhaps  you  can  tell  why  men 
do  different  kinds  of  work.  What  people  do 
to  make  a  living,  depends  very  much  upon  the 
place  they  live  in.  For  men  almost  always 
do  that  kind  of  work  that  pays  them  best 
for  their  labor. 

Those  who  live  where  the  land  is  rich  and 
level  will  raise  grain  to  make  flour,  or  cotton 
and  flax  to  make  clothing.  Some  people 
among  the  mountains  work  in  the  mines. 
Some  keep  cows  for  their  milk  and  butter, 
and  sheep  for  their  wool;  for  the  hills  and 
many  of  the  mountain  sides  afford  excellent 
pasture.  People  wiio  live  near  the  sea  will 
be  apt  to  catch  fish  along  the  coast,  or  engage 
in  trade  upon  the  water. 

Employments  in  the  city  differ  widely  from 


A  REVIEW  LESSON.  141 

those  in  the  country.  Here,  as  we  have 
learned,  most  people  make  their  living  by 
working  in  factories,  or  as  merchants  in 
buying  and  selling  goods  which  come  from 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

All  people  do  not  live  in  the  same  way. 
Some  people  have  no  churches,  schools, 
books,  or  factories. 

What  do  people  who  live  in  this  way  eat  ? 
"What  do  they  wear?  How  do  they  spend 
their  time? 

Lesson  XLV. 

A  REVIEW  LESSON. 

What  kind  of  work  is  done  by  the  people 
among  whom  you  live  ?  Are  they  farmers  ? 
How  does  the  farmer  make  his  living? 
Where  does  he  sell  the  things  wliich  he 
raises?  Where  does  he  buy  his  sugar  and 
tea  and  other  things  which  he  needs? 

Do  you  live  in  a  city  ?  What  are  the  chief 
occupations  of  the  people  ?  Do  they  work 
in  shops  or  mills  or  factories? 


142  HOME  GEOGRAPHY. 

Name  some  mills  or  factories  in  or  near 
your  city.  What  articles  are  made  there  ? 
What  manufactured  articles  are  in  the  school- 
room? At  home?  What  do  you  call  the 
men  who  make  these  articles  ? 

What  kinds  of  goods  are  sold  in  the  stores  ? 
What  is  a  grocery  store?  A  dry-goods 
store  ?  A  shoe  store  ?  Where  did  the  things 
in  these  stores  come  from  ?  Which  were 
made  in  your  city?  Which  were  brought 
from  other  places? 

What  railroads  or  canals  are  in  the  city  ? 
Do  boats  come  to  the  wharves  ?  What  do 
the  boats  or  railroads  take  away?  What 
do  they  bring  in  return  ? 

Write  the  following  : 

Farmers  raise  (write  the  names  of  all  the  things  you 
can  think  of). 

Miners  dig out  of  the  earth. 

Quarrymen  dig  from  the  quarries. 

A  shoemaker  makes 

A  blacksmith  makes 

Merchants  buy  and  sell 


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